It is a warm but somber day in Baldur's Gate as you lay Hilda to peace. Death came quickly once the curse appeared. One day, your friend simply began to waste away. No cleric or paladin could stop the death curse from taking her, just as the healers of Faerûn couldn't stop the dreaded affliction from taking any who died in the past. You've seen many people gone before their time, but this one hurts deeply.
As the majority mourners begin to drift away from the funeral after saying final farewells to your beloved friend, you find yourself among a small group, making small talk about your history with Hilda. You notice two people who had hung back the entire funeral approach: a sun elf woman, old but still spry, dressed in the noble finery of a northerner. The other is more mysterious, draped in a heavy black cloak and wearing a silver mask. The elf speaks, "It was a beautiful ceremony. It's clear your friend meant a lot to you all. To a lot of people."
The cloaked figured cuts in with a dry, raspy voice, one that reminds you of the way Hilde spoke as death grew closer, "There is a chance the deceased's soul might still be saved...If you act quickly. We may even be able to bring them back to life, and countless others who have wasted away...You could even save those still living with the curse." The elf woman looks annoyed by the interruption, but nods slowly. "Are you interested in hearing more?"
Although awkward and standoffish at first, as the post-service mingling stretched on(and as more people left), Waylon would gradually warm up. He would more freely chat about his past, and how Hilda effectively got him off the streets by landing him a sort of apprenticeship. These details would come out particularly easy as the group became smaller.
"She was very important." He agrees, trailing off as the masked one interjects. "Are you saying you know something about this curse?"
The tiny, just over 2ft, scaled figure jumps up in excitement upon hearing this. The small, green scaled, kobold had grown up under Hilda's care for the past seven years. "You can help bring her back with our help? Of course I will do anything to bring mom back. That must be my destiny. To save her and stop this curse. Just tell me where to go."
Anlizi stares at the little green creature bubbling with excitement. "Hilda was kind." Then her eyes move to the two strangers. "What do you need done?"
The pair exchange a glance, and then the elf speaks. "We think we have a way of getting information about this affliction. There are...multiple avenues we're currently pursuing."
"We believe the curse behaves similar to the magic a lich uses to feed souls to their phylactery, so a lich could possibly track down the origin of the curse. The Duchess of Rot, Zaldara Cordress, has her lair in Cloakwood. We've had something of an understanding with Zaldara for quite some time. A non-aggression pact of sorts. But these are desperate times, and we need information."
"We have a plan to force her cooperation, but we're stretched thin. Can we count on your assistance?"
Once again, the raspy voice of the cloaked figure butts in. "You need not worry about facing the lich yourselves...Others be will taking that risk."
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The elf looks relieved - though you are not able to discern any such reaction from the masked figure. "Good. Good, thank you. There will of course be payment afterwards...And anything you might need in preparation we could possibly supply. We'll need you to sneak into the lower levels of Zaldara's tower, while our main force occupies her on the upper levels. You'll be retrieving something of great importance to the lich. An agent of ours will explain that more in depth once you've departed."
"You'll leave by ship tomorrow morning, on a vessel named the Diviner. If there's anything you need, let me know now and I'll have it waiting for you on the ship."
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
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Anlizi nods, and then speaks quietly. "A lich's lair is sure to be quite deadly. Should you have access to a supplier, potions to keep us going would not be taken for granted."
A Hero's Rest
It is a warm but somber day in Baldur's Gate as you lay Hilda to peace. Death came quickly once the curse appeared. One day, your friend simply began to waste away. No cleric or paladin could stop the death curse from taking her, just as the healers of Faerûn couldn't stop the dreaded affliction from taking any who died in the past. You've seen many people gone before their time, but this one hurts deeply.
As the majority mourners begin to drift away from the funeral after saying final farewells to your beloved friend, you find yourself among a small group, making small talk about your history with Hilda. You notice two people who had hung back the entire funeral approach: a sun elf woman, old but still spry, dressed in the noble finery of a northerner. The other is more mysterious, draped in a heavy black cloak and wearing a silver mask. The elf speaks, "It was a beautiful ceremony. It's clear your friend meant a lot to you all. To a lot of people."
The cloaked figured cuts in with a dry, raspy voice, one that reminds you of the way Hilde spoke as death grew closer, "There is a chance the deceased's soul might still be saved...If you act quickly. We may even be able to bring them back to life, and countless others who have wasted away...You could even save those still living with the curse." The elf woman looks annoyed by the interruption, but nods slowly. "Are you interested in hearing more?"
Although awkward and standoffish at first, as the post-service mingling stretched on(and as more people left), Waylon would gradually warm up. He would more freely chat about his past, and how Hilda effectively got him off the streets by landing him a sort of apprenticeship. These details would come out particularly easy as the group became smaller.
"She was very important." He agrees, trailing off as the masked one interjects. "Are you saying you know something about this curse?"
The tiny, just over 2ft, scaled figure jumps up in excitement upon hearing this. The small, green scaled, kobold had grown up under Hilda's care for the past seven years. "You can help bring her back with our help? Of course I will do anything to bring mom back. That must be my destiny. To save her and stop this curse. Just tell me where to go."
Anlizi stares at the little green creature bubbling with excitement. "Hilda was kind." Then her eyes move to the two strangers. "What do you need done?"
#edbd00 - Gold
The pair exchange a glance, and then the elf speaks. "We think we have a way of getting information about this affliction. There are...multiple avenues we're currently pursuing."
"We believe the curse behaves similar to the magic a lich uses to feed souls to their phylactery, so a lich could possibly track down the origin of the curse. The Duchess of Rot, Zaldara Cordress, has her lair in Cloakwood. We've had something of an understanding with Zaldara for quite some time. A non-aggression pact of sorts. But these are desperate times, and we need information."
"We have a plan to force her cooperation, but we're stretched thin. Can we count on your assistance?"
Once again, the raspy voice of the cloaked figure butts in. "You need not worry about facing the lich yourselves...Others be will taking that risk."
"I will save my mom!" Vutha shouts. "Where is this lich, I'll make her talk!"
Yesqirelle nods.
"I would be willing to do this. Hilda helped me in the past, and I still owe her."
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Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
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Waylon gives the others a quick glance over, then shrugs himself. "I'll do what I can. What exactly is it you want us to do?"
The elf looks relieved - though you are not able to discern any such reaction from the masked figure. "Good. Good, thank you. There will of course be payment afterwards...And anything you might need in preparation we could possibly supply. We'll need you to sneak into the lower levels of Zaldara's tower, while our main force occupies her on the upper levels. You'll be retrieving something of great importance to the lich. An agent of ours will explain that more in depth once you've departed."
"You'll leave by ship tomorrow morning, on a vessel named the Diviner. If there's anything you need, let me know now and I'll have it waiting for you on the ship."
Waylon lets out a low whistle. "Attacking a lich head on? That's going to get a lot of people killed. You weren't kidding, you are desperate."
"We'll do we what we can. Although if you want us to break in, we're gonna need some tools for that. Lock picks and the like, if you don't mind.
Yesqirelle raises her eyebrows slightly.
"We're stealing from a lich? I was under the impression we were negotiating. Still, I'm in. Shouldn't need anything else."
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Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
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Anlizi nods, and then speaks quietly. "A lich's lair is sure to be quite deadly. Should you have access to a supplier, potions to keep us going would not be taken for granted."
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"A lich. Perfect, I can make my destiny and become famous by stealing from him. Lets go!."
"So, set us on our way. This lich won't know what hit her," the little Kobold yells as he begins to rush in the totally wrong direction.