Session 28 - Uncorking the Dead Report

Waterday - 9 Ready'reat - Morning

  Last night, the Try-hard Misfits stalked Elix the Saint at the Tipsy Tavern. After Elix left, they befriended the bartender, Karyssa, and learned that she'd provide more information if the party handled an undead problem in her cellar where she stores her wine for the bar. Both the party and Karyssa agreed to meet back at the Tipsy Tavern.   Rising early and reflecting on the meaning of her name, Nar chooses to pamper her new family by cooking up an indulgent breakfast. Stepping into the Sea Ghost galley, she fries up bangers, hash, and eggs and serves the rest of the party. After wolfing down the hearty meal, the party traverses around the inlet again and heads directly to the Tipsy Tavern where Karyssa already awaits the party.   "Glad you came," Karyssa greets everyone. "If you'll just follow me to the back, we'll get you down into the cellar. When you are ready to return, just knock. I'll be just outside while you are down there."   Karia pipes, "You won't be coming with us?"   "Oh gosh no!" resounds Karyssa. "It's terrifying right now. I can't go down there."   Wee Jane grunts as she presses the door wide and starts stalking down the stairs. The rest of the group trails behind with Kyra bringing up the tail as she gives Nar a couple of pebbles that shine light brightly outward. As Jane's feet touch the cool smooth rock at the bottom, a chorus of wails rises from the darkness beyond. Peering into the darkness, Jane sees two ghostly figures floating toward the party and slips her greataxe free wielding it before her. Suddenly a large shelving unit flies at Jane narrowly missing her as a third ghastly ghostly figure swirls through the east wall.   The party quickly engages the three spectral figures feeling their chilly touch tug at each member's strength, but each person resolutely pushes forward and beats against the specters and poltergeist forcing their incorporeal bodies into whisps of nothingness.   "That's it?" questions Kyra. "I didn't even get anything for the body bag."   The party searches the small cellar for more interlopers when they discover a broken cabinet with the wall beyond destroyed inward. Squeezing through the decayed gap, they find a rough-hewn passage with an overpowering stench. Striding forward, the group looks upon the filthy water running from darkness to darkness, but the party spots another archway a few paces away. Ignoring the path of the sewer itself since it likely dumps out into the inlet, the party passes beneath the roughed out archway and back into a unfinished pathway. At the end of this tunnel a door stands open leading into a flagstone hall.   Upon entering the mausoleum, they see a door on the left and another door at the end of this stone passageway on the right. Before they are able to decide on a path, zombies stumble forward from the left and the party quickly rises to the new threat. As they beat the zombies back into the room, they face off against a mummy rising from a crypt. Wee Jane bears the brunt of the attack while a new threat challenges Nar and Kyra. Still in the hallway, two ghouls come out of the far room.   Before long, all opponents have been dispatched and Kyra surreptiously slides a body into her bottomless bag. The party then walks over to the farthest door that creaks open showing a ceremonial chapel beyond. A decayed rug runs between several rows of pews toward an overturned and broken altar. Above the alter hangs a large cudgel that looks like the spine of some animal with a skull affixed to the top. Between the altar and cudgel dances a floating green glowing skull. An eerie voice speaks, "Have thou come as tribute to thine master?"   Two shadows silently approach from the shadows forcing the try-hard misfits into defending themselves. The might of the party quickly overwelms these abominations and the party takes a long breath.   Looking over the altar, Kyra and Adlia quietly discuss the cudgel and artifacts lying about the room. After a consensus, Adlia states, "This room serves as tribute to Orcus, the demon prince of the undead. Why services took place here is a greater mystery, but we've neutralized the threat to Karyssa and the Tipsy Tavern."   The party begins searching the rooms within the mausoleum when subtle movement catches Karia's eye. As she watches, a bone fragment slides a few inches to fuse with a second fragment and then that shifts to fuse with a third. "Guys!" she calls out, "I don't think we're done yet!" As the party gathers, the skulls continues to reform until Adlia invokes Ehlonna to abdicate the cursed bones. As the divine power radiates outward from Adlia, the skull fragments disintegrate into dust.   After searching the crypt, the party heads back across the sewer into the cellar and climbs the stairs. The party knocks on the door and after a long pause the door opens revealing Karyssa looking relieved. "You were gone so long I was beginning to worry. What kept you?"   Kyra quickly summarizes that undead from a nearby crypt broke into her cellar and that she should repair the wall and have it blessed.   "Wow! That's terrifying! I must thank you for your diligence, so what would you like to know about Elix?" Karyssa asks.