Chronero - Single Player DnD

Tomoe laughs again I would hope we have gained enough reputation thay she would atleast think twice before she mercilessly slaughters us.

The conversation sort of dies down afterward and the bath goes by uneventfully.

Long Rest.

Do you read anymore of the magazine you bought? You can see the topics of interest on your equipment tab on the character sheet.

Let's read the part about the pale hand rituals.

At night after dinner, Tomoe reads the article titled the "Pale Hand Rituals"

Pale Hand Rituals
By Douglas Faust

Have you heard of The Tale of The Pale Hand? Of course you haven't! It's a story that not even your 800 year old Elven Grandpa remembers. We'll, dear reader, you're in for one hell of a tale. We at Red Unicorn decided to research the old tales and history of Chronero during the last years of the 2nd Star Age and the early days of the 3rd Star Age.

When you need some mercenary work where do you go? You go hire Mercs! If you are really loaded and don't need something done that's illegal, you go to House Phoenix and hire some of their warriors to do whatever. Need a mage? House Serpent! Private Investigators? House Thunderbird!  However in the past, the ages before the Demon Wars that heralded the end of the 2nd Star Age and the years afterward, the land used to have a Fighter's Guild, a Mage's Guild and a Thieves' Guild.  The Fighter and Mage's Guild soon evolved into House Phoenix and House Serpent. The Thieves Guild reformed from a criminal syndicate to a legitimate information gathering agency.

Most people will think "Oh hey! 3 Guilds into 3 Houses!" Actually there was 4th Guild, a guild that was spoken in hushed tones. This Guild was known as the Pale Hand. They were a group of assassins and hitmen. If you performed the Pale Hand Ritual, a member of the Pale Hand would show up and kill your target. Shortly after the Demon Wars, the Pale Hand was destroyed. Who did it? It's up in the air really. People can't seem to agree on who did it. Some say the emperor of Chronero at that time, Archimedes Trav cracked down on them. Some say it was the Abyss Queen, though I personally doubt it. Some say it was due to infighting. Or maybe it became absorbed into one of the many cults. Who knows?

Though we have reason to believe the Pale Hand is back. Recently, one Morris Vorromir was arrested for performing the Pale Hand Ritual. To perform it, it requires an animal skin canvas to be hung on a wall. Then in a bowl of milk, mix some of your blood to get a pale red color. Place your hand in the bloody milk, and use it to make a hand print on the canvas. Light two candles and place a flower of the poisonous Midnight Blue plant. Place an ape heart in a bowl. Surround the bowl with a ring of bone dust. Then while chanting, "I call on the name of Pale Mother, prophet of Sypha! Remove my hated enemy from this world!" stab the heart 5 times.

The information we presented in this article has been gathered from old books found in Morris Vorromir's house, in the residential district of Brass City. Sypha is not the name of any god, good or evil, that we know of. However he has still been arrested for suspected Heresy.. Do not perform the ritual. You can't get our magazine from prison!

Tomoe passes the article to Lucia who knows more about these things than herself. What do you think? Does this mystery murder guild really exist? 

Lucia shrugs, "First time I'm hearing about it. I did hear about the guy getting arrested. He wasn't executed because they couldn't tie the "Ritual" to any specific cult. No one died yet I don't think. At least, no one important."

Tomoe shrugs slightly. Either way, I thunks it is irresponsible to publish the entire ritual. You know more people are going to try it now. 

Lucia says, "Yeah that irks me a bit. I can see an increase in heresy arrests. Though I'd rather people try a fake ritual rather than a real heretical one."

I suppose. Owell. For now, the night is cold, Kate?! Care to share our bed for warmth? 

"I... am good."

Kate says. The night passes uneventfully. No demons are assassins. The next morning after breakfast, it was time to decide what to do next.

Tomoe goes through their potion supply after regearing in the morning. We only have one healing potion left and two revive potions. I think we should head back and restock. Maybe look into building a permanent base while we are back in town.

Kate asks, 'You sure? We wiped out the bulk of the dungeon already and we're fully rested now. Shouldn't we try and clean up before heading back?"

Well, if you think we cleared most of it out, I suppose it is worth going back in today. Hmmm, sure let's go get what loot we can.

Kate convinces Tomoe to go back and finish the dungeon.

Heading back in there were two places the party had yet visited: Stairs that went down to one more floor lower and some rooms in the balcony where they were attacked by Birdmen the other day. 

Where to?

Rooms in the balcony first.

Checking the rooms, the four rooms seemed to belong to the higher ranking cultists. They each had a bed, a wardrobe holding spare cloaks, some plates and a desk for writing. These dark stone rooms were lit by candelabras. However the candles are currently unlit and the rooms seem to be empty.

Lucia thinks and says, "We killed 3 cultists. There are four rooms. It looks like we missed one last night. Think they got away?" Kate looks around the rooms and says, "This place looks like they've taken things in a hurry. If there's a treasure room here, I doubt they were able to take all of it. We should try finding the treasure and the dungeons. There might still be people or goodies around."

Then down thise stairs we go. Let us hope they are already gone. 

Going down the stairs, the party finds themselves in an indoor pool of sorts. There are stone walkways on the east and the west. The middle has murky water that's hard to see through. There is a single wooden door on the west wall. On the south end of the west wall is the stairs the party descended to get to this place. On the opposite corner is another set of stairs that go up.

Lucia groans, "Why does this place have so many stairs?"

You are in: Basement Floor 1

         ____Stairs
         |
D____Pool area
         |
Stairs_X_|

It helps us stay fit and maintain our feminine figures. 

only one way to go, up the new stairs

Going up the stairs lead the group back to the first floor and where they fought the air-elemental. Looks like that's all the dungeon except that one room in the floor below.

You are in:  1st Floor
                                                               

                                  Stairs
                                      |               D          D
                                    Balcony___________|__________|
                                        X                        |
                                                                 |
                                                                 |_X_Stairs
                                                                 |
                    Room with Torch &_____Room with Balconies____|____Stairs
 Big Room with________Checkered Floor                            |
  Balcony__________________        |_____Stairs                  |
                          |                                      |_D
                        Entrance