04. Dues for the Dead

Cassyt looks a little embarrassed and let’s put a weird, awkward laugh. "Well these are just the wealthiest families in Phlan and they tend to donate a lot of money that we use for maintaining the grounds, so we humour them". She stops to look at a skeleton wearing a particularly garish mint-green outfit posed as if smoking a large, ornate pipe. She looks as if she tries to find something else to say, but seems to think it better to stay quiet for once.

Cassyt seems a little taken aback by Vess' request for an apology, but in an attempt to steer clear of any conflict, she quickly mumbles "Sorry, miss". As you move past the corridor and down the stairs, her eyes are wide in awe and excitement as she speaks almost in a whisper, "I've never been further than the crypts of the first families. I understand they went through the entire upper catacombs, however it's been several days. Who knows how far any undead might have roamed around". The last sentence is said in a strange mixture of fear and hope.

As you open the door, you stand in a chamber which is almost completely filled by a circular pit, leaving only a foot-wide pathway between the edge of the pit and the wall. The pit is filled to about five feet below the lip with humanoid bones. A narrow walkway hugging the walls is the only path through the chamber. Narrow niches in the walls are filled with carefully placed bones, baubles, and other similar items.

Cassyt snaps her head to look at Zrukz, "D-do you really think so?...maybe I should just sort of hang back for a minute..."

Chitkree, you move into the room with your guard up and move all the way up to the edge of the pit, however nothing happens as you do.

As you guys edge into the room, you hear the echoing of footsteps coming from the entrance of the catacombs and a human (and for some familiar) looking construct steps into the dim light of the lantern.

Zrukz, you hang back with Cassyt and she looks at you and then the pit with a little bit of trepidation, but her voice has a little more resolve as she speaks. "I've had my head in books my whole life, and this is happening right below our order's feet. I will see this through"

Meanwhile, Chitkree, Augustine, Aramil & Vess has easily made it past the pit. The light may be dimmer now that you rely on your darkvision, but you relay back to Zrukz, Pierce & Cassyt that it seems to be a closed off room, or rather a few smaller ones. A smell of wood smoke reaches you from the back.