After my visit to the temple yesterday I was ensnared the rest of the day in the big celebration.  The okay food and not great booze were plentiful, as were speeches.  Lots and lot and lots of speeches.  A couple of them were decent.  There was entertainment I think.  Something happened that may have been an attempt at a play.  Some people with musical instruments were doing something that had some of the same qualities as actual music that would be played by musicians.  All the people that were honored a few days ago were re-honored.  Those who were not honored were honored to be in the presence of the honor of those who were honored.  If it needs to be said it was a dull affair. 

This morning I was able to duck out on the Baroness with the excuse that I was going to services in town rather than praying in the chapel with her.  The place was packed to the gills.  I have no idea what kind of crowd they normally get, but I have to assume that it was inflated by the festival yesterday – people have a more to atone for after something like that than a usual day.  I was surprised to see Rakhaj Ivezh in attendance, not because he’s hard to miss, but I wouldn’t have expected a professional killer to be a religious sort.  The Duke had raised to a high enough position (you know, by being born) that he didn’t have to pretend to be pious so it had been years since I had attended a service.  It was actually kind of nice with the singing and stories about how you should be good and the sense of community and all that.  I can see why people get into it.  After it was over I caught Rakhaj before he disbursed with the rest of the crowd.

“Has your soul been saved yet?”

“It’s a work in progress.”

“Keep me updated on that.  In the mean time I’ve got a job.  I want to head into the forest today to clear up a little thing I have going with whatever fey creatures says they’re in charge.  Find Belzegara and tell her what we’re doing and see if she wants to come along.”

“Who’s Belzegara?

“Martialla can show you.”

“Okay, who’s Martialla?”

“Just find either of the two women who were with me out by the tomb.”

“Where would I find them?”

“Good Gods, just ask around, what kind of a hired goon are you?”

“The goon kind, not the finding people kind.”

“Just go will you?”

It was probably an hour after the service was over that I was finally able to speak with the priestess.  People kept coming up to her to shoot the breeze with her about this and that and whatever like they didn’t even know that I was waiting to talk to her.  People can be so inconsiderate sometimes.   Eventually though I was able to pry her away from her adoring congregation and get down to business. We went back to her office and she took off her fancy preaching robes to reveal her casual robes underneath.  I wonder how many layers deep it goes.

“I was good to see you in the crowd today.”

“Tell me something, why are religious things so early in the morning?”

“People need to get to work.”

“So why not have them at the end of the day?”

She smiled faintly “We have services then also.”

I made a sour face “And you expect people to go to them both?  Forgive me, but how many times do people need to hear ‘be good’?  After a while doesn’t the message just become noise?”

“It never hurts to be reminded of Adariel’s plan for humanity.  I have good news for you.  I performed divinations and consulted with my fellow sisters and brothers in the cloth and we feel that you don’t have anything to worry about.  Adariel revealed to us that the spirit you encountered has no such power as he threatened you with.  He’s not able to leave his tomb nor does he have any ability to influence things outside it’s borders.  He was just trying to frighten you.”

“Well it worked.  You ‘feel’ that he can’t hurt me?  How strongly do you feel that way?  Strong enough for a guarantee strong?”

“There are no guarantees when it comes to dealing with these creatures, there are no rules that govern the undead.  I feel confident that it’s not anything you need to worry about.  Besides which the situation is likely going to be resolved before the next full moon anyway.”

“Why?”

“As you said, this Lord Wesel isn’t truly a malevolent being, he’s the victim of powers beyond his control.  If we can help him to find peace among his ancestors that’s a worthy goal.”

“That’s awfully charitable of you.”

“Thank you for bringing the matter of our attention.  Your motives may have been selfish ones, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have an altruistic ending to the story.”

“This is the problem when dealing with unholy abomination from beyond the grave – you have to take their threats seriously because how are you supposed to know what they can or can’t do?  It’s some tricky shit.  Sorry.”

What would be funny is if the grave-monster Wesel actually could and is going to kill me and the church of Adriel was setting me up.  Wouldn’t that be hilarious?  You see because they’re reputed to be so nice and kind.  I returned to the manor to find my mostly new crew but they were nowhere to be found.  I asked around but no one seemed to be willing to talk about them, which I guess I can’t blame them for.  The Baron had never actually un-outlawed Martialla so the situation was probably confusing to them – why was this outlaw hanging around?  And they were probably already pretty confused by the Kostelos taking over the place for a while.  Figuring that they had gone into town, I went back to look for them there but when I eventually did find someone that had seen them they said that they were headed back to the manor.  And by the time I got back to the manor the gate-guard said that they had been there for lunch and then left again. 

Not wanting to continue this theater-level comedy of errors, I decided to take a nap.  Now that I have my amulet back and am not being assaulted in my sleep every night (figuratively speaking, well not figuratively, literally but in my dreams?) I have a lot of sleep to catch up on.  A few hours later when I woke up my three wayward hirelings, well two hirelings and one associate, where in the next room carrying on and raising a ruckus.  I went next door where the three of them appeared to be in the process of moving in.  When she saw me Martialla smiled broadly.

“Check it out, I got them to give us our own room, now I won’t have to sleep at the end of your bed anymore.”

“How did you manage that?”

“I told them it would be easier to keep an eye on us if we were all together.”

“Smart.  So who gets the bed?”

They all turned to look at each other for a moment before Martialla turned back to me“We’ll work it out.”

“Where have you been?  I wanted to go into the forest and kill some faeries.”

“We were doing what you told us, finding out about the necklace.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“What did you find out?”

“We found an old dude who took us to the temple, not the one you were at this morning but the old one where they keep the records.  We fold some old records written by some old priests in a bunch of old documents.”

“Stop saying old, I get it.”

“You’re pretty grouchy for someone who just got up from a nap.  Before the Wesel family ruled these lands it was in the hands of a family by the name of Sateur and these Satuer people are the ones that started the logging in the Iron Timber.”

“Is this going somewhere?”

“Yes, quit interrupting.  When the loggers started doing their thing the creatures of the wood started killing them – they don’t like it when people chop down their trees.  So then knights started coming to kill the fey folk and it turned into a real bloodbath.  Or so the story goes.  One of the Sateur lords back in the day negotiated a deal where only a certain amount of trees would be felled and in return the faerie monsters wouldn’t kill them as much – just reduce the killing back to the normal amount.  Part of this deal was that his wife, and the wife of all the lords of the land hence force throughout time would wear this necklace – so the fey could find her in the event of the Sateur breaking the deal.”

“So Lord Sateur makes the deal and Lady Sateur is the hostage, sounds pretty typical.”

“Doesn’t it though?  Anyway, that’s what you have around your neck.”

“So how do I get it off?”

She shrugged “There wasn’t anything about that in the old records.  They did have the name of the creature or being or whatever made the necklace, I wrote it down because I have no idea how to pronounce it.”

She reached into her pocket for a folded piece of parchment.

“Let me guess, Reuithfatfengins?”

“Sounds right, how did you know that?”

I sighed “Lucky guess.”

“The good news is that it probably doesn’t matter, looks like you’ve going to get your chance to work your magic tomorrow night anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

She handed me another slip of paper.  It was a note from the Baron explaining that for my very small tiny minuscule part in rescuing him I was to receive a reward.  A reward that I would get in his bedchamber tomorrow night.  At midnight.  While the Baroness was at her prayers in the chapel.  He had some particular instructions I who I should prepare myself to collect this reward.  I crumpled it up and tossed into the merrily blazing fireplace. 

“Well I guess I have a date.  He’s going to have to sleep with his wife one of these days if he’s going to sire an heir.”

“Give the guy a break, he’s been faithful for almost half a week.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Funds: 53,040 platinum, 21,660 gold

XP: 1,147,551

Inventory: Flask of Endless Sake, Hat of Effortless Style, Tankard of the Drunken Hero, Ela’s Dazzling Garment, Belt of Physical Might +4, Ring of Urban Grace, Black Marketers’ Bag (5), Tidy Trunk, Whiterock Family Ring (Ring of Binding), Ela’s Elegant Boots, Ela’s Extravagant Necklace, Ring of Counterspells, Brooch of Shielding, Cloak of the Hedge Wizard (Abjuration), Headband of Subtle Misdirection, Antiquarian’s Monocle, Unbalanced Scales, +1 Glorious Undead Bane Short Sword

Noble’s outfit (5) collegium ring,  pocketed scarf, wrist sheath, signet ring (2) assortment of fake signet rings, silver chain set with moonstones, gold and emerald ring (2), garnets (700), gold necklace with jade pendant, ivory combs, tax collector’s badge, gold bracelet with ivory inlays, silver necklace set with rubies, gold earrings with jade inlays, silver and gold brooch, silver necklace with ruby pendant, disguise kit, covenant ring, tiny diamonds (26), Saryah Phidaner gown, masterwork thieves’ tools, onyx (55) personal signet ring, tiara, masterwork red and black long greatcoat, Turnbill blade of first forging (one of three), darkwood and platinum music box, silver bracelet set with bloodstones, platinum ring set with fire opal, silver and moonstone bracelet, holy symbol of Kozilek, dwarf journal

Revenge List: Duke Eaglevane, Piltis Swine, Rince Electrum, watchman Gridley, White-Muzzle the worg, Percy Ringle the butler, Alice Kinsey , “Patch”, Heroes of the Lost Sword, Claire Conrad, Erist priest of Strider, Riselda owner of the Sage Mirror, Eedraxis,  Skin-Taker tribe, Kartak, Królewna & Bonifacja Trading Company, Hurmont Family, Androni Titus, Greasy dreadlocks woman, Lodestone Security, Kellgale Nickoslander, Beltian Kruin the Splithog Pauper, The King of Spiders, Auraluna Domiel, mother Hurk, Mazzmus Parmalee,  Helgan van Tankerstrum, Lightdancer, Bonder Greysmith, Pegwhistle Proudfoot, Lumbfoot Sheepskin, Lumber Consortium of Three Rivers, Hellerhad the Wizard, Forsaken Kin, Law Offices of Office of Glilcus and Stolo, Jey Rora, Colonel Tarl Ciarán, Mayor Baras Haldmeer, Rindol the Sage, Essa, eyeless hag, Baron Saltwheel, Baron Harmenkar, Colonel Tarl Ciarán’s wizard soldier, Victor, Beharri, Cebuano, Mayor Eryn, Chimera Trading Company