Kendral's Troop and The End

Belvedere puts on a little show for the guide, to embellish how hard the journey had been for them. If they were to disappoint the Baron, better to have given it their all. Or at least appear that they had gone above and beyond!

Katie happily and gratefully accepts!

The Baron's Study

After a good long rest which includes a mineral bath, a hot meal and a comfortable night of sleep, you are guided the following evening back into the study. This adventure, it seems, ends where it began; the Baron’s study. It's pretty much the same as it was before, to include a sidebar with refreshments and drink, with one exception; a stone table in the center that is covered with sigils. In the center of the table is a bowl of salt and on five sides are lit ceremonial candles. Those with knowledge of arcana recognize this as protection from dark magical influences. The Baron is sitting in his favorite chair puffing on a herbal pipe. The air smells sweet as a result of his leaf.

"Please place the items on the table, to include the wand I lent you."he requests."One must not be too careful when dealing with artifacts like these. This table will clear you of any curses or influence that may linger."he assures."You will be well rewarded, I promise, but first I would like to hear about your trip. You made good time, I hope there were no complications?"He speaks as if your adventure was a hike in the woods followed by entering an abandoned house.

Xaka is feeling fresh and clean, her wounds itching but seeming to close without infection, thanks to healing poultices and concoctions previewed by her new herbalist friend.

She's grateful to see more food in the baron's chamber, but doesn't fill a platter just yet. Eyeing the table with naked suspicion, she retrieves the heavy Grimoire Katie found, but that she carried. She gingerly places it on the table, careful not to open it up.

The Necromancer's Grimoire is locked shut but it doesn't require a key; it can be unlocked manually without one easily. Its purpose seems to be just to keep the book bound shut. It's made of sterling silver. The book is bound by a dark dyed leather.

Whenever she touches it, she feels a kind of waiting dread, not unlike being in a witches hut and surrounded by mysterious objects of sinister purpose.

She leaves the story telling to the others. For now

Kendral pull the chalice out of his pack, carefully and thankfully placing it on the table.

The Chalice of Poison is a unholy looking Grail decorated with skull carvings, or maybe actual skulls...

The elf looks at Belvedere "Well...the tale of our 'trip' Belvedere?" prompts Kendral.

"A harrowing tale, I assure you! Every member of this troupe is deserving of a barony and a retinue of servants to carry out their every whim! A ghastly tale… One that I’ve yet to fully put to music. The recency of the thing… Gah! It weighs heavy on both body and mind." Belvedere says, working himself up to the telling.

With some more gentle coaxing, Belvedere will indulge the man in the tale. He adds flair and drama to the whole tale, as is his profession. The dryads, and the hanged man. The perilous sea crossing and the close fought thing in the gut of the castle.

The telling of the story makes it sound a closer thing than it had been. The demoness had become larger, more aggressive, with threats and promises to return with her red horde and lay ruin to the kingdoms of man…

His teeth red from wine at the finish, Belvedere slumps back in his chair, exhausted from the theatrics.

"But by the skin of our teeth, do we sit before you! I hope the trinkets are worth the effort, my lord!"

The Baron cannot help but look somewhat amused by Belvedere's elaborate story

"Keep the wand then, minstrel. You certainly earned it."After a short pause he addresses part of the tale."Efreeti....not a demoness."he gently corrects."A Fire Djinn. Unusual, though, that she threatened to return. I would guess that years of entrapment made the red lass a bit salty. Djinn don't care for our world. Hopefully, her threats were empty ones as a result of her resentment. I'm curious, .....how did she escape the Urn?"
His eyes rest on each member of the party, ready to accept an answer from anyone.

Grimbly smiles and nods along with Belvedere's story, complete with embellishments. When he has finished Grimbly turns to the baron.

"How much will you be paying us then? As you have heard, we are well worth a nice sum. And you had promised good payment."

"A kingly gift!" Belvedere offers with a bow!

On the topic of the jar, Belvedere had already practiced an explanation! He nudges Grimbly for speaking without answering the Baron’s question, before going on!

"Aha! Well, when our foul foe found herself beset on all sides by brave heroes, she became desperate, and freed the creature in an effort to save her own skin. A last ditch attempt at victory!"

Xaka listens to the urn story was well, for she just came into the room at the end of that. She thanks the Baron for hiring them. "I hope those artifacts bring you prosperity and hope. They're dangerous, any reasonable person can sense that, and I'm heartened that you know how to contain them. Perhaps now that castle might find peace. "

Grimbly looks suitably contrite after the nudge from Belvedere. He has the same wish for the castle as Xaka has voiced. And now he had hopes of a quiet life, at least for a while before adventuring forth again.

Kendral adds, "Thank you for the work Baron. I am glad we were able to meet in your goal. Perhaps the forest will now be able to restore itself to it's former beauty."

Kendral rummages through his mapping supplies. "Now that map you provided us...if you ever need the area to be mapped thoroughly, just let us know. Be well until then or when you have some other task for us."

"It was a fascinating excursion - undead, efreeti, artifacts of terrifying power. So many things to add to my notebooks!" She beams broadly and adjusts her hat, cocking it jauntily on her head. "It was a little scary on occasion, i must admit, but... so much fun! Even more so in retrospect," she adds with a crooked smile.

"Anytime you need someone or someones to investigate an anomaly or other curiousity, I'd be happy to help," she concludes with a small bow and a bit of excited bouncing on the balls of her feet.