The Cavern of Shame

Seeing the cavern littered with skeletons made the party catch their breath. Would these skeletons rise to attack them, like the ones at the shipwreck? They waited at the edge of the cavern, but nothing stirred in the dim light from Nicki’s lantern. They could barely make out what looked like another small passage leading off to the right about 20’ in, and the far end of the cavern was lost in darkness.

Zhustin cast a Light spell on his dagger to shed some more light nearby, and Sandoval cast Dancing Lights at the far end. By their light, the party could see another narrow passage leading out – along with still more skeletons. Marie quietly asked if anyone wanted some Magic Stones “just in case”, and Bella eagerly accepted her offer.

Sawyer moved cautiously to the nearest skeleton. Over the rest of the party’s strenuous objections, Marie followed close behind. Sawyer nudged the bones with the toe of his boot, his hand ready on the hilt of his sword, but there was no response. Crouching down, he could see that this skeleton was clad in the same rusty, broken Tien-style armor as the ones they’d fought before. Looking closely, he could see mud and grass between the bones of its foot – this skeleton had likely been tramping through the marsh not long ago.

There was a short debate over what to do with the skeletons on the floor. Should they try to destroy them? Disarm them? In the end, the party decided the best course was to let sleeping bones lie, and they crept cautiously through the room. Zhustin looked down the passage leading off to the north, but saw that it quickly narrowed to the point where even he would be hard-pressed to squeeze through. Everyone made their way to the opening at the opposite end of the cavern. Without hesitation, Sawyer and Marie continued on, as the tunnel curved north, and appeared to open into another cave room. Bella, Sandoval, and Nicki followed more cautiously, while Shinjiro and Zhustin stood guarding the opening, eyeing the silent skeletons with trepidation.

Sawyer could see that the new room was smaller than the one they had just left, with a pool of water on the east and a narrow alcove jutting to the northwest. He poked his torch around the corner and peered into the alcove. Near the end was a large jade and cherry wood chest, its bottom caked in mud from being dragged through the swamp. Sitting slumped atop it was another skeleton, this one clad in much finer exotic armor and with a beautiful curved short sword across its lap. As Sawyer stepped into the room, a blue glow illuminated its eyes, and it raised its bony skull to glare at him. It barked a challenge in a tongue that Sawyer couldn’t understand, but which Marie recognized as Minkaian: “I guard this treasure for my master, and none but him shall touch it! You shall taste my steel, intruder!”

With that, it charged to attack, and its blade whistled just past Sawyer’s nose as he ducked back. Sawyer’s riposte was a solid hit, but his sword glanced off his foe’s bones, doing little damage. Marie Channeled the power of Desna, but her deity’s power had no effect on the skeleton battling Sawyer; however, she heard a splash and a gurgle from the pool to her right and saw another skeleton that had begun rising fall back into the water.

Back in the main cavern, the skeletons littering the floor suddenly leapt to their feet, while still more rose out of the murky water of the pool. Zhustin and Shinjiro quickly found themselves surrounded by a horde of nearly a dozen undead. Shinjiro recognized the rusty weapons the held as wakizashi, the traditional short sword of Minkai warriors. The monk grimly began lashing out with feet and hands against his foes, while Zhustin curled into the fetal position to protect himself from their slashing blades and clutching claws; his high-pitched screams served to alert the rest of the party to the danger at their rear.

The rest of the party found themselves bottled up in the narrow passage, unable to get out to help Shinjiro and Zhustin, but also limited in their ability to aid Marie and Sawyer. Sandoval began singing a rousing song, taking advantage of the acoustics of the cavern to inspire his friends at both ends. Bella flung one of her Magic Stones at the skeleton champion, scoring a solid hit, while Nicki cast Disrupt Undead. Marie swung her mace and missed, as did Sawyer, while the champion landed a solid blow on him. Sandoval thrust his rapier between the thing’s ribs, but dealt no damage. Bella darted into the chamber, taking a painful gash from the undead’s sword as she moved in behind it, then hit it at point-blank range with another Magic Stone. The power that had animated the skeletal champion faded, and it fell to the ground as a pile of once-again lifeless bones.

Now the battle was centered on Shinjiro and Zhustin, who were still surrounded. Shinjiro quickly dropped one of the skeletons, but just as quickly another stepped up to take its place. Marie raced back down the passage, getting as close as she could before calling forth another burst of Positive Energy, which lay waste to several of the creatures. That created a brief opening, and Sawyer ran forward and stepped over the cowering Zhustin, warding him from the attacks of the remaining skeletons. Now that there was a little room for the party to operate, the fight quickly turned their way. Nicki kept peppering the skeletons with Disrupt Undead, while Shinjiro and Sawyer bashed away at them. Zhustin even recovered his wits enough to cast a final Acid Bolt, and then the skeletons were all dust.

As the party caught their breath and looked around in case more undead emerged to threaten them, they realized that Bella was nowhere to be seen. Moving back to the champion’s chamber, they found her hunched over the chest, trying without success to pick its lock. Shinjiro bent down and removed a chain from around the neck of the fallen champion; on it was a bronze key. He fitted the key into the lock and turned – it opened with a click. The interior of this chest was lined with velvet like the red chest they’d found earlier, with numerous impressions custom-fitted for the things they held. Many slots were empty – likely the handiwork of the Licktoad goblins - but it still held a number of potions, a ring, and a pair of wands. A masterwork chain shirt was neatly folded in one shelf, with a masterwork cold iron wakizashi lying across it. There were over a dozen more fireworks, several large bags of gold and silver coins, and a number of pieces of fine jewelry. All the coins were of foreign minting, which none of the party had seen before.

While the rest of the party clustered around the chest, Bella began searching the champion’s body. The only thing of obvious value was his sword, which showed no signs of age. It was of incredibly beautiful design; it was etched with images of seven shrikes perched on a coiling branch that ran the length of the blade, and it bore an inscription in Tien which Shinjiro translated as being the name of the blade: Whispering Shrike. Unfortunately, the sword seemed to be damaged: its hilt was loose. As Bella worked with the hilt, trying to see if it could be more firmly attached without the help of a smith, it came off completely in her hand, and a miniature mithril scroll case fell out of a secret hollow where it had been concealed. Opening the case, she withdrew a small roll of parchment. It had Tien characters written on the outside and was sealed with a small wax seal.

Shinjiro again translated. This appeared to be a  letter addressed to someone named Lonjiku Kaijitsu. Several of the party wanted to open and read the letter on the spot, but Shinjiro refused. “This is likely the property of Ameiko Kaijitsu, or one of her family – only she should open it.” He replaced the letter into its mithril case and tucked both into his tunic for safekeeping.

After getting some much-needed healing, the party began heading out of the cavern, carrying the chest with them. On the way out, they decided to explore some of the passages they had bypassed on the way in, to make sure nothing dangerous (or valuable) was still lurking inside. One passage led back to the room where Bella claimed to have been accosted by spiders yesterday. As Sawyer entered, he did, in fact, see a very large web on the wall in front of him, and he set his torch to it. As he did so, a very large hairy spider dropped down from the ceiling beside him and attacked. It missed, and Sawyer and Bella made sure it would not get a second attack. Another tunnel let to a chamber filled with water; a small island rose from the pool, encrusted with glittering crystals. Bella was immediately interested. But as she moved to the water’s edge, an amorphous blob surged up out of the pool and tried to engulf her. Luckily, the creature’s clumsiness made it very easy to hit, and it soon sank back out of sight. Unfortunately, the crystals were just simple rock crystals, of small value. Having explored all the mysteries of the Brinestump Caverns, the party headed back to town.

When they reached the Rusty Dragon, Ameiko and Sandru greeted them. They immediately noticed the chest they carried, and were eager to learn what the party had found, but the party asked Ameiko if there was somewhere they could speak in private. She took them back to her “office” (really more of storeroom where she also kept her ledgers). They told her they had found another shipwreck with her family’s name on it – the Kaijitsu Star – and told her of the battle with the skeletons in the cavern. Shinjiro took out the scroll case and handed it to her solemnly. Ameiko seemed confused, but her eyes widened as she removed the letter and read the name on its ouside. With shaking hands, she read it in silence, tears welling in her eyes. “What does it say?” Sandru asked softly, and she read the letter aloud.

When she finished, she was silent for a long moment, then spoke quietly, not looking up from the letter in her hands.

“Lonjiku Kaijitsu was my father, and Rokuro Kaijitsu was my grandfather, although I never knew him. My father was a … difficult man, and he and I had our differences. He would never speak of his father, or any of his family history. He would become angry if the subject came up, and refuse to speak. What little I know I learned from my mother, or from others who had known my grandfather.

“My grandfather Rokuro was the one who brought our family to Magnimar from somewhere in the north. He used his wealth to establish our family as a Royal House in Varisia, and set up a home and a glassworks in Magnimar. When Varisia wanted to establish a new town along the Lost Coast Road, he contributed to the founding of Sandpoint, and built another glassworks here to help give the new town some source of employment. This was all before my father was born, or when he was just a boy.

“Although our family had homes and businesses here in the south, my grandfather kept his main seat somewhere in the north, and my father grew up there. He met and married my mother there. Shortly after they were married, he had some sort of argument with my grandfather. My mother either didn’t know or wouldn’t tell me what it was about, but it apparently was very bad, because my grandfather sent my father away to Magnimar, and never spoke to him again. In fact, they never heard anything from anyone in the north again. My father believed he had been disowned, and in his anger or shame he disowned his father as well.

“No one ever said the name of the family’s home in the north, but I think it must have been the Brinewall Castle that this letter speaks of. It sounds like my grandfather regretted his argument with my father, and intended to apologize and explain, but something prevented him from coming. It sounds like he was sending some of his household south, but they must have been caught in a storm - those shipwrecks you found in the swamp must be all that was left of them.

“I always assumed whatever had happened between my father and grandfather must be my father’s fault. Gods know, he alienated everyone else who ever loved him. But now … it sounds like it was my grandfather who caused the break, and my father took the years of silence that followed as proof that his father had abandoned him.” She chokes back a sob and takes a moment to compose herself. When she looks up, her expression is one of grim determination.

“As far as I know, I am the last living Kaijitsu, the last of my line. My family has been drowned in loss and sorrow for my entire life, but I have always believed that I had some larger destiny. I went adventuring to seek that destiny, but only found more pain.” Her voice catches again, and Sandru moves quickly to her side to comfort her. You are surprised to see that the hardened caravan master’s eyes are also full of tears.

“If I have a destiny, it lies in Brinewall Castle.” She holds up the letter in her fist. “Whatever secrets it holds, they are my birthright. I may find only my death, but I will not turn away.” Sandru pulls her tight against him, then holds her at arm’s length. “He’d be so proud,” he said quietly, then in a louder voice, “Then I’d best start laying in supplies for a journey to Brinewall … wherever the hell that is!”

Ameiko turns to the group. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done, both for Sandpoint and for me. I don’t know what Sandru and I will find when we reach Brinewall, but you’ve proven yourselves to be more than competent adventurers, and if you’d like to accompany us, you’d earn my eternal gratitude.”

Shinjiro immediately knelt before her. “I believe that my destiny and yours are linked,” he said cryptically. “It would be my honor to guard you on this journey.”

Marie also spoke up. “I too believe that this Brinewall Castle is where I am meant to go. I shall also accompany you.”

The rest of quickly agreed. Sandoval remembered an old song, “The Walls of Brinewall Weep”. It tells the story of a keep by the sea whose inhabitants were happy and carefree at sunset. But by sunrise, all within were dead, and their spirits haunted the battlements weeping for their lost loves.

An Unexpected Companion

The next week was a relatively quiet one for the party, at least compared to the previous few days. Nothing tried to eat them or cut them into pieces. Sandru and Sandoval talked to Father Zantus at the Cathedral, and combed through its old records and maps. They found the location of the former village and castle of Brinewall, some 500 miles to the north, beyond the Red Mountains. It sat at the mouth of the Brunstall River, near Varisia’s northern border. Sandru figured it would take two weeks if they travelled straight through, but of course, this being a caravan, they would be stopping frequently at towns along the way to trade; a man has to make a living, after all. He spent the week busily preparing - laying in supplies and gathering his trade goods: expert glass items from the Kaijitsu glassworks, a collection of woven rugs and wall hangings featuring characteristic Sandpoint patterns, a shipment of smoked and salted fish, and, of course, several crates of bog nuts.

Ameiko told the party they could keep everything they had found, but asked if she could keep Whispering Shrike - it was a link to a family secret she had never imagined. Since no one in the party was proficient with exotic weapons, they agreed (although Sawyer began wondering if it might be worth learning to use such things). Ameiko also offered to purchase the two chests the party had found that were linked to her heritage.

The day of the caravan’s departure from Sandpoint finally arrived, and the party stumbled out of the Rusty Dragon, rubbing sleep from their eyes, well before dawn. As they made their way to the caravan’s staging area outside of town, they could smell the horses and hear the teamsters talking quietly among themselves. But as their eyes adjusted to the growing light, they were surprised to see a new wagon in the caravan. A small Sczarni vardo had taken its place at the head of the caravan. Its round-roofed cabin was painted in bright red, green, and yellow patterns, and a small stovepipe jutted from the roof. Koya Mvashti was seated in the wagon’s seat, a pair of polished starknives strapped to her waist. She gripped the wagon’s reins tightly, and stared forward defiantly.

Sandru was clearly not happy with this development, and his voice was raised above the clatter of the gathering caravan. “I don’t care what you think you’re ‘called to do’, you’re not going, and that’s final!”

“Oh, so you think you’re old enough now to give me orders? Ha! That’ll be the day!” Koya snapped back.

Sandru threw his whip to the ground angrily, then visibly tried to get his anger under control. “Look,” he said, and the strain of keeping his voice below a shout was plain, “if this was an ordinary caravan trip, I’d be happy to have you along. It would be like old times. But Ameiko and I have no idea what could be waiting for her at Brinewall. From what was in the letter, it sounds like there’s a good chance it could be dangerous, and that means it’s no place for an old woman.”

“Old woman!” Koya screeched. “Old woman? I’ll have you know I was trekking across the Varisian lowlands when your father was a twinkle in your grandfather’s eye. Do you know how many river crossings I’ve managed? Do you know how many wounds I’ve sewn up? Do you know how many I’ve caused? I’ve got more caravan experience than all the rest of you wagon rats put together!”

“That’s exactly my point!” Sandru responded, shouting again. “You’ve had your time. You’ve traveled the world, and now it’s time to settle down and enjoy the time you have left.”

“How am I supposed to enjoy sitting in a house that doesn’t move, staring at the same scenery day in and day out? I’m a Sczarni, for gods’ sake! And I haven’t ‘traveled the world’. I’ve been as far east as Korvosa, and as far north as Riddleport, but no farther. I want to make a final journey, a real world-trek like the ones my mother went on. And Desna wants me to go – I’ve read it in the cards for three days in a row, and dreamed it in visions for three nights straight.

“Besides,” she continued, her voice softening, “I let you children go off by yourselves once, and we both know how that turned out. No,” she added hastily “I don’t say that to blame you. There is no blame. But I’ll not sit by again, wondering for months on end if I will ever see you again.”

She shook tears from her eyes and blew her nose noisily on one of her many scarves. “Anyway,” she said gruffly, “who’s going to serve as your healer if there’s trouble? That one?” She pointed brusquely at Marie. “Oh, I’m sure she’s pious enough, but how much healing can she dish out? If someone gets bog rot or filth fever, will she know how to cure them? Can she cook up potions like I can? No, you need a real cleric on this trip, and I don’t see anyone else willing to put up with you.”

The two Sczarni glared at each other in silence for a long while. Finally Sandru gave an exasperated sigh, picked up his whip, and stomped off, muttering to himself in Sczarni. Koya smiled smugly, then winked at Marie. “Climb up here dearie,” she said, patting the seat beside her. “If there’s going to be two clerics of Desna on this trip, we’d best be friends.”


The party earned 741 XP, and are now at 2741, with 5000 XP required for Level 2. We'll be at Leo's again next week as the caravan sets out for Brinewall Castle.