Threnody closes the pauper's lifeless eyes gently, whispering a prayer. The paladin drapes the corpse with some of the towels she scavenged from the bath-house earlier, arranging them as best she can so as to grant the woman some shred of dignity. It is a meagre thing, but the least she can offer to one who had been so deprived in life. 

She takes the purse and inwardly swears that its contents, together with a measure of her own wealth, will be turned toward charity. The certitude that the monsters preying on the most vulnerable in society are utterly undeserving of mercy is only bolstered as she reflects on the woman's tragic ending. No quarter, no absolution. She cannot bring the woman back to life, nor erase the horrors of her final moments, but she can promise a pitiless, bloody justice upon those who would perpetrate such evils. 

When it seems the injured have regained some degree of fortitude, she clears her throat. "There are undead nearby. Somewhere to the east. Perhaps more of this necromancer's foul works."

Threnody makes her way down the dank, dark sewer tunnel shortly after Bees and awaits confirmation of what her gift has already allowed her to sense. 

Bees checks the door for traps. If none are found, he peeks inside to get eyes on what is making the noise on the other side. 

Quote from Monsterball >>

~Snippet~

"I doubt we need to worry about covering our tracks for other cultists. We've burned their tapestries, slain numerous cultists, and razed their altars. If anyone comes looking, it couldn't be more obvious that they have unexpected visitors." Threnody says, raising a sceptical brow. The time for subtlety was long past. Nevertheless, she slings the dead necromancer over one shoulder and dumps her in a dim corner of the room, behind a pillar and out of immediate view from the corridor.

The tiefling then proceeds to stand guard as the rest of the party tend to their wounds, meditating on the oath she took long ago, a silent sentinel with spear and shield in hand. 

Her words are left hanging there, as none needed more be said with Threnody heeding the request. Thus with that out of the way, Liatris focused more on other tasks, such as claiming and placing the book and flail in her bag of holding, citing upon request a desire to peruse it more thoroughly later for possible clues into the inner works of the cults. The odds of finding out anything there were minimal at best. But even now, some of Kester's past advice, whether he meant his words to be taken as such or not yet held sway over her heart and gently echoed in mind as her attention return to the project.

Wood scraps would be glued together, metal bits folded and reshaped by both mundane and through magical sigils, and even some treated bits of animal tendons and bone played a part in the creation of smith tools that appeared both crude and elegant at the same time. She smiled faintly in satisfaction. Though that smile faltered as she looked to the leftovers; a knotted ball of cobbled together chaos made of bone, string, wood fibers, and metal.

Liatris picked it up and studied it for a moment. Yet, no recollection of how the mass even came to be made struck her. There were clear signs of her handiwork in the endeavor to her, hinting at a larger purpose. However...

"Hmm... Fascinating. The work of my subconscious mind, perhaps? Or perhaps some grander will at work through me? This will require further study." She murmured, and after making a few adjustments to her already heavily modified shield, the knotted ball is affixed to the inner side of the shield. Unbeknownst to the artificer, a more open and genuine smile arose after it was affixed, and for a time she sat transfixed looking at her handiwork, knowing it to be right where it belong and nowhere else.

"Hm? Mn. Understood. A moment, Threnody." Acting quickly, Liatris gathered her things and slotted them away into a makeshift tool belt she'd wear going forward. Soon she was walking in lockstep behind between allies, more self-assured than ever in the success of the mission at hand.

(OOC: Post updated to feel more in-line with reaching a major milestone in obtaining her subclass)

Samosh again keeps to the rear making sure nobody pokes them in the butt.

Gotta let the kids find their destiny. 

Bees pries open the door slowly. It's not trapped, just old and falling apart. He spots a single rat scurrying about in a small room. It perks up and turns toward Bees, sensing his presence. It gives him what can only be described as a forlorn look. Its ribs are showing, and it looks almost as skeletal as the actual skeleton rats, although slightly more alive. It squeaks pitifully.

Liatris confirms that the flail has no secret compartments. To further study the spellbook and determine if it's hiding anything, please make an Arcana check. 

At that moment, Bees relates more to the emaciated rat than he expected and takes pity on the tiny creature. Bees takes his pack off his back and grabs one of his rations. Taking a small piece from his ration, he tosses it into the room. Waiting just a few more seconds to see what the rat does, Bees enters the room to look around. 

The rat pounces on the piece of meat and begins to devour it, pausing occasionally to give Bees grateful looks. Bees walks around the small room but notes nothing of interest except that there is a long tunnel strewn with rubble in the back of the room that heads westward. If he peeks down the tunnel, it winds away, ending in darkness. Does Bees have a torch out?

[[OOC: Bees does not have a torch out. He's got excellent *not-darkvision, though.]]

Returning to the group in the hallway, Bees sees Threnody standing at the doorway and says, "Seems this way leads further in, down a long hallway. Want me to scout to the east?"

"I doubt anywhere in these sewers is free from danger, but I'd rather not have the known threat of undead lurking at our backs." Threnody says after a moment's consideration, before nodding at Bees. "Let's try exploring to the east first."

She gives the halfling room to pass, holds her position long enough for him to gain a sufficient lead on the rest of the party, before following down the eastern passage. She glances over her shoulder at Liatris. "Is everything alright? You seemed... excitable back there. What were you making?"

For perhaps the first time since the two have met, Liatris appeared visibly taken aback by something. But instead of offering a rebuttal or any other answer before long, she instead touched her own cheeks as if trying to confirm a linger change in expression but discovering... no change at all. "I... will default to taking word for it, as my short term memory has been proving itself to be... a touch faulty. Though with time, I'm certain problem will resolve itself." She quietly said in assurance. Though whether the words were meant more for Threnody or herself was hard to tell before she shook her head and waved a hand offhandedly in dismissal. "As for what I was making, they were just...tools. Mostly. Some things that would better guarantee the success of the mission."

     Kaster follows along, sometimes having to hurry in order to keep up.  He catches a bit of the exchange between Threnody and Liatris and finds it... confusing.  He doesn't really know what to make of it so he does his best to ignore it.  There is too much danger around this place to trouble over random weirdness...

After Threnody's warning, Bees continues down the hallway to the east with increased caution.

Threnody nods in response to Liatris' questions, but looks far from convinced. She appears to have no further interest in inquiring about the tools, but a somewhat worried expression blooms on the horned woman's features. "How long have you been experiencing this problem?" The paladin says, her voice gentle and concerned, though her eyes remain fixed on the gloomy hallway ahead. "I have some gifts when it comes to healing, as you know. Perhaps I can help?"

Liatris again found herself waving a hand in dismissal. "Your continued concern is... noted, but unnecessary. Though I recognize you are gifted in the healing arts to some degree, I am quite certain that it will be of no avail in this particular matter. So, for now it would best to remain focused on the mission." She quietly affirmed in a tone conveying that she would broker no further discussion on the matter. 

The party heads to the east with Bees continuing to scout ahead. The passage curves around again into another door, but Bees is easily able to ascertain that it isn't locked or trapped. Like most of the doors in this place, it's nearly rotting off its hinges. Bees continues heading eastward until the passage opens up into a large, partially collapsed room. On the southern wall of the room there is a stone altar with humanoid skulls and bones piled around it. The top of the altar is covered with dozens of half-melted candles made of black wax, all currently unlit. Aside from the altar and a pile of debris and stones in the northern half of the room, the rooms appears to be quite empty. A wider passageway continues eastward on the other side of the room. 

Bees turns back to the group and says, "The room ahead appears to be clear." He then proceeds inside to get a closer look down the wider passageway. Feeling a deep creeping sensation, Bees draws his shortsword as he moves into the room. 

Threnody shoots Liatris an unconvinced stare, then proceeds down the tunnel after Bees. She notes the rotting door, and follows the party scout into another unholy shrine. "I wouldn't be so sure of that." Threnody murmurs, casting her gaze over the bones littered around the stone altar. "I know what I felt - there are undead somewhere around here. Tread carefully."

Threnody inches forward, round shield out before her, readying herself for an unpleasant surprise. As she approaches the altar, she studies the skulls piled around it, poking them gently with the tip of her spear. Her crimson eyes sweep over the scene, looking for anything valuable or out of the ordinary. 

Perception: 7

     "If it's so clear then why's he drawing his sword?" Kaster asks of nobody in particular before swallowing audibly and readying his crossbow.  Reluctantly he follows the others, eyes darting this way and that, head swiveling towards any and all sounds.

Bees leads the way inside the room. He approaches the wider passageway. He can see that it turns northward and leads to a large, flooded room with many pillars.

Threnody pokes at the bones around the altar but nothing happens. They appear inert. 

Samosh chuckles and pokes the bones as well. This place is so dreary that he couldn't resist finding something fun.