Porthca Landing I: Memory of the Sea

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Winston shrunk into his seat during the carriage ride, staring out the window as they made their way to the funeral. He shifted slightly in his yet again borrowed clothes as he thought about his conversation with Benito on the way over. The halfling felt a small sense of...peace, maybe? He wasn't sure how he felt about his new situation yet, but he knew that he would at least give it a real shot at finding a place where he belonged. He owed Benito that much for the kindness he had shown him.

Winston was glad he decided at the last minute to go to the funeral instead of selling some more questionable wares, up until the point where Lestone appeared on top of the casket. Winston had rather enjoyed the priest's speech, or however much he was able to hear of it from his seat in the back. He appreciated the idea of Kelemvor as the priest mentioned it; people only turned to it when they absolutely had to, such as a death in the family. Winston was able to relate with that, used to the feeling of being discarded and only noticed when it was convenient. He even thought about asking the priest about Kelemvor after the service, but those thoughts were quickly washed away as the monster appeared once more.

Winston jolted from his seat immediately, and took a few steps towards the exit, intent on putting enough distance between him and this abnormal entity. But the half-man got no more than three steps away when he remembered his new responsibilities to the DePorthca family. He glanced around and saw Tyrius and Ander ushering the kids away, and the others congregating near Benito, and he quickly walked up towards them. He stopped about ten feet away when he heard Benito begin making his speech, and Winston hovered on the edges of the conversation until he saw Benito stride away. Hearing the man's request not to be followed, Winston joined the other's, his small stature and quiet footsteps likely making him unnoticed to most of the group until he spoke. "I second what Virra said. I would like to know more about this thing, what our plan is, and what sort of dangers it might pose to us." Winston hesitated slightly, "Also I would like to know if there's anything I can do to help."
 
Kelemvor Temple | Catacombs:

The acolyte nodded to Ben as he entered as well, moving through the passageways, his light causing the shadows to dance around along the walls.

Eventually he paused, resting against the wall silently while Benito seemed to be having a moment to himself. Suddenly his head turned as if he heard something and he moved to investigate, returning a few moments later to gently tap Benito on his shoulder, "Uhm ... Lord De'Porthca? I think ... I may have found something you'd like to see."

If Ben followed the acolyte, he was led further into the family tomb, moving towards where the start of the De'Porthca line was entombed. Some of the spaces had small stone profiles carved, likely by the Tahyrts over the years, matching some of the portraits within the Manor until the pair stopped before a full sarcophagus that read Aelrin De'Porthca, the stonework was covered in waves and ships, various creatures of the depths as well. A faint glimmer of gold scales was seen in the shadows as the light from the acolyte's necklace swung from his movements but he guided Ben to look elsewhere. "Something caught my eye over here, something that ... might interest you I suppose." Sweeping with an arm, he gestured to what looked like a partially opened stone chest.

Kelemvor Temple | Main Room:

Rewalt stood listening to Virra and Winston before looking at Malia, "Yes ... Lady Malia, what exactly might you be planning?"

Tensing up, Malia turned towards Rewalt, "Ah, Head Priest Rewalt ... we ... were hoping to borrow an elemental to speak for us." She glanced towards the others, "I've read that creatures summoned can speak and be understood by their summoner if they're intelligent enough. However ... if the connection is broken between the creature and their summoner, rarely is a parting on good terms -- the summoned creature becomes aggressive." Raising her eyes she looked at Cate specifically, "I ... don't know about Lestone however, or how they tie into this?"
 
Ben followed the acolyte deeper into the catacomb than he'd ever travelled before. He almost instantly regretted not collecting the torch before following the man, and he was more worried after catching the glypse of golden scales.

The imagery of the sea did little to settle Ben's concern. He knew, instinctively the man was trying to help, but he couldn't help but be distrustful... He was so vulnerable here, if the light blinked out, if the creature came back...

Ben let out a slight sigh. His hand reached for his dagger, he pulled it gently out of his belt and approched the chest with caution. "What is it?" He asked.
 
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Frowning as the glint of light reflected off the small dagger, the acolyte approached with Ben to the chest, "I believe it's a chest holding items that used to belong to..." he glanced at the plaque which was currently in the dark given it was behind him, "Aelrin De'Porthca. I'm not strong enough to fully lift this ... nor would I steal from the dead, but while I wandered, my light reflected on something inside here, and I thought ... given that a De'Porthca was down here, you might be interested."

With a nod between the two of them the lid was pushed off, landing with a heavy thud on the ground, a sound that echoed off into the catacombs for a moment before finally fading. Lifting his holy symbol over the chest, light filled into it, allowing the pair to see a few gems that glimmered back, and a bracelet. However, buried underneath at the bottom ... appeared to rest a longbow. The acolyte squinted at it for a moment, "A ... longbow? Why would that be in a chest like this? I'd think by now it'd be practically useless from age."
 
Catelyn watched Ben leave with a feeling of disappointment, far moreso in herself than anyone else. Lord, what must I do to make Benito understand that this is not his task alone? She knew she was being hard on Benito, but his behavior towards his allies was inexcusable. Is he blind to the way he is treating those who offer to help him? She sighed before turning back to Virra. “I am afraid that all I know is what little I have glimpsed through my visions. It is not much, but surely it is important to realize that we may have a potential ally.” She turned to Malia. “Lestone, if that is who has been haunting this city, is a man in deep pain who is bound to the service of a greater entity.” She paused for a moment before turning to Rewalt. “Have you ever heard of an undead spirit that has been reanimated by primordial forces? I am afraid that as a cleric of the Crying God, my education has been mostly academic and medicinal in nature.”
 
Benito looked into the chest, tucking the dagger back into his belt. "It is strange to see such a thing in a chest. I might be burried with one before long." He ran his hand over the bow, large pieces of blue driftwood bound in golden cord in the shape of a longbow. It seemed so crude, but the design was so focused.

He lifted the bow from the chest to better examine it in the light. "I've never heard that any of my ancestors favoring bows. This is quite the piece of work for someone who isn't..." His comment trails off as he regards the craftsmanship.
 
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Listening to Cate, Rewalt placed his hands within his sleeves as he thought, watching the acolytes move through the temple. "Primordial ... is new to me. However, given I am a priest of Kelemvor, we are expected to be educated in the undead especially when it comes to destroying them and allowing their souls a final rest. To think one has been forced to linger is troubling, let alone the thing forcing it to stay be so abstract." He nodded towards her, "However, if you are a cleric as you say, then likely the abilities given to you by your deity will be useful for allowing it a final rest -- rarely can the undead tolerate fire, be it radiant or more mundane."

Rewalt paused, "If this 'Lestone' truly is undead, I'm afraid my only suggestion can be to destroy them. The undead are a blasphemy to Kelemvor."

Kelemvor Temple | Catacombs:

Listening to Ben's words drop off, the acolyte leaned over to see if there was anything more in the chest, while Ben heard a small flapping of wings that grew in the silence of the catacombs. As it grew closer, the acolyte glanced around, only to see something, look towards Ben, and begin to cry out, "No -- wait--" as a small golden-scaled creature wrapped itself around his neck and shoulders, digging into his fabrics as it stared towards Ben, a small forked tongue flicking out towards him, a long slender tail with a stinger moved through the air.

He raised a hand in the air while the other tried to push the stinger away, "Please don't attack her -- she helped guide me towards this chest. The Head Priest doesn't know she exists ..."
 
With a bow in his hands, Benito instinctively reached for an arrow, but found no quiver. He took a step back. "And what does she expect in return?" His hand gripped the handle of his dagger as he dropped the bow in his other hand, raising it defensively.
 
Kelemvor Temple | Catacombs:

He looked confused for a moment, "... what?" before remembering the scene earlier. Shaking his head, he ran a finger under the creature's chin, "Uhm ... she likes treats? Small berries, or bits of dried jerky?"

The creature chirped in Ben's direction as he spoke again, "She didn't mean to startle you, I guess she wanted to be warm again, it can get pretty cold down here and ... well. At least I'm pretty warm." The acolyte looked down, "I'm sorry ... you came down here to grieve, and I've made a mess of it. I can go back to the entrance if you want -- I can make a coin or something you have glow so you can see, it'd last about an hour ..."
 
Catelyn frowned and looked down at the cord wrapped around her hand. “Fire is not really a domain of Ilmater, nor is violence of any means. My abilities are primarily as a healer, counselor and protector of His flock. I can seal grievous wounds with a touch, seek wisdom from the heavens above, and manifest small miracles. My divine talents serve me well in my duties as a caretaker of the downtrodden, but I am afraid that they are woefully lacking when it comes to conflict.”

Catelyn looked slightly embarrassed. “I did not expect to be tasked with slaying undead enemies, or else I might have paid more attention when Father Uskough taught me how to fight. Regardless, thank you for your advice, Father Rewalt. Even without the use of divine power, fire is not difficult to come across. Perhaps someone more clever than I could come up with a course of action that would take advantage of that vulnerability.” Catelyn gave Rewalt a low bow.
 
Ben kept his hand up but released his dagger. "No, I likely shouldn't be alone. I'll get lost and starve or break some obscure law of Kelemvor and invite more wrath on the city. Worse yet I could walk back out of the catacombs and save my family and then it's over. Everything goes back to how it was, I've got the name but not the family."

He hung his head and dropped his hand, "It's too much. The expectations, the effort, the secrets and the lies. What would you do? Your family in danger, your brother's body stolen from his own funeral..."

Benito bent down to pick up the bow. "I'm barely a De'Porthca. I just have the name." He placed the bow back on top of the treasures in the chest.

He slumped down next to the sarcophagus, "What does it matter, let's talk about something else. What is she? Where'd she come from? And if you gave me a glowing coin, how'd you get out? I know of light, not that I can do it, but you can only cast it on a single object at a time."
 
"Maybe don't worry yourself about throwing fire around," Virra suggested. "Against someone who splashes water around every time he moves, I can't see that being too effective. Oh, or maybe you could steam him to death!" She giggled at that, then remembered the company she was in and quickly shut up. "But really, I think all of us pulling together should be enough. Ander can do some real damage, and so can Winston. Obviously the Azarad students can handle themselves. And we did fend him off well enough last time. I'm sure we'll figure it out."

She glanced at Malia. "Water elementals aren't something I'm familiar with, but the same applies. If it all goes wrong, we can step in and take care of the problem. With your permission, obviously." Virra could feel herself growing more excited as she spoke. Not necessarily about the prospect of fighting, but of seeing what a water elemental was -- and maybe, later, trying to get inside Lestone's head again.
 
Kelemvor Temple | Catacombs:

As Ben spoke, the acolyte scratched his head, "Well ... even if you annoyed Kelemvor, pretty sure he'd just wait until you died to do anything about it. One way or the other, everyone dies eventually ... normally at least."

He moved to sit next to Ben on the ground, an arm outstretched as the small creature crawled along it to get a better look at him. "I don't really have a family myself -- I mean, there's everyone within the church but I understand there's a difference, and we don't share a last name, just a title." He watched the creature for a moment, "I guess ... if I were in your shoes, I'd ask myself ... at the base of everything, if there's expectations, effort, secrets and lies, if there's still something underneath it all that I love. It doesn't excuse everything else, but it means if you can -- I don't know, somehow remove the rest of that, then you return things to a better place. A place you can be happier with."

While he spoke the creature crawled off his arm and began investigating Benito himself, as the acolyte smiled, "I'm pretty sure she's a pseudodragon. I've only seen drawings of them before, but she matches up to them. She's really friendly -- most of the time at least. Sometimes she has moods and," he pointed to the stinger that followed behind her, "unfortunately she's used that on me a few times ... makes me feel woozy and knocks me out for awhile."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "I named her Hestia, it means 'Hearth'. I'm not fully sure where she came from, but she seems to follow me around. I worry the Head Priest might not allow me to keep her, so she stays down here." At Ben's reminder of Light he paused, "Er ... I've been down here enough times, I can generally find my way out."

Kelemvor Temple | Main Room:

Rewalt smiled, "Don't lower yourself if all you can manage is to heal and support. Our gods expect differently of us both -- Illmater eases pain, Kelemvor allows a final rest." He looked down at Virra before returning to Cate, "I imagine you and your group will figure out something."

Malia nodded towards Virra, "Oh -- definitely. If things have gone badly, I'd really prefer if you guys step in. Any magic I know takes ages to do, and most of it involves getting plants to grow healthier, or help deny weeds a place to sprout."
 
Following alongside Ander as the small group headed back to the main area of the temple just in time to hear Virra mention something about steaming someone to death. Hearing her mention water elementals and seeing Lady Malia in the room, Tyrius guessed they were discussing the ritual that Lady Malia had mentioned.

Glancing around the room, Tyrius couldn't see Benito so he asked, "Erm, where's Ben?"
 
Benito let out a shallow chuckle, "Figures, everyone's got something to hide. You've got a dragon in the basement and my step mother's a monster." He turned to regard the young man for a moment before commenting, "I've spent a decent amount of time here myself, but I still prefer a torch. It's not like you're a cleric of Ilmater who's forced to suffer for others." He shrugged, brushing it off.

Ben reached out a finger toward Hestia, "Pleased to meet you, little cat dragon. My sister would..." He shook his head, and leaned back, placing it against the cool stone and closing his eyes, "Nevermind. Bad idea." There was a long pause while Ben thought on what the acolyte had said. "I... don't know if there's any love left under all the shit. I don't know if there was ever really any love in the first place. I lost my mother when I was young, then my father to his sorrows and his new wife, now my brother. Seems there's little left for me there, and every time I try to find a place..." Ben lost his train of thought but picked up another, "I thought I was doing the right thing, investigating Cyne's murder. Chasing a killer. I accidentally assembled a group of skilled individuals to aid me, but I think I might not be a good fit for them. I've no real skills." He mimicked his mother's words as she taught him to shoot, "'Remember Ben, arrows don't solve problems, they start wars.' " He lifted his head to look at the young man again, "I've exhausted my options, spoken with the families, taken a look at the contract, I think I know the debt... but I can't resolve this, peacefully or otherwise without making contact with the sea. I wanted a day to mourn, to let my brother go, instead he's taken from me and when I decide to act, everyone is against me. Everyone wanted action yesterday, what's changed?" He paused after the rhetorical question for a moment, "I don't understand how they can expect me to just let this go... And the reason, 'Lestone might be an ally'? The nine hells is that? The man killed my brother, tried to kill Robern, and murdered a child. We don't even know how to contact him, we're not even sure we'll be able to contact the damned Sea."

Benito stood and began to pace as he worked himself up, he clearly didn't know what to do, but was upset that he was trying to do something while everyone else just wanted to throw useless information into the whole thing. If the sea had demands, let them be heard, because at this point there was little else they could do.
 
Kelemvor Temple | Catacombs:

The acolyte watched Ben as he paced, the small pseudodragon watching as well as she climbed up and down the younger man. "Ah ... well ... what about your sister you mentioned?" He scratched his head, "You say you have no skills, but you managed to gather them, right? And I think I heard you yell out earlier when the creature showed up ... doesn't that mean you have some leadership capabilities to you?"

He ran a finger under the small dragon's chin as she trilled happily, "I don't really understand everything you're saying, but ... maybe they don't expect you to 'just let it go', but instead are trying to give the best chance they can that things go well? More allies are generally better than none, and I think I overheard that the 'Lestone' person might be undead?" He coughed as he rubbed his eye for a moment, "I can't really suggest anything besides destroying him, given the robes I wear."

Shrugging, he watched Ben continue to pace, "At the end of the day ... Kelemvor judges everyone, and everyone stands before his scale. I guess what would you rather be judged by?" A strange undertone came to his voice as he lifted the pseudodragon, "Eventually even the primordial are judged too ..."
 
"Right, okay, We can do that," Virra murmured, partly to herself. Her frame of reference might not have been wide enough to know how deadly a water elemental could be, but Malia didn't seem to think it was unstoppable. Besides, if it came to that, she imagined all the magic users would be able to think up a way of stopping one while it went berserk. Or just smashing it with the force of seven bodies at once.

She perked up and waved as Tyrius and Ander approached. "Oh, hey. Ben went off over there." She nodded towards the stairs that led down to the catacombs. "He got a little upset. Mr Rewalt let his acolyte go after him, though, so he should be fine. Anyway, we were just talking about where we should go from here." She smiled up the tall men, rubbing her hands together. "Sounds like Malia really can get this ritual going to contact the sea. I've said we'll be good to stand guard until it finishes, just in case anything goes wrong. We can probably beat up one water elemental between us, right?" Catching herself before she got too carried away, she glanced off towards Cate and Winston. "Unless either of you have problems with doing that, I mean. Anything you wanna change about the plan?"
 
"And if you took off the robe, remembered there's a person... trapped, forced into a situation they don't want?" Ben struggled not to laugh. "The gods can be quite cruel, can't they?" He stopped pacing, "I guess that's the trade. Free Lestone, stop the Sea, and trap myself."

Benito shook his head as he moved toward the chest, "I didn't gather those people and they don't follow me. I can barely do magic." He picked up the bow, and smirked, using a line he'd used many times around Azarad - winning at cards, nailing a bulls-eye playing darts, splitting an arrow. "I just got lucky."

Ben turned back to the acolyte, "I need to get back up there, I have to see this through to the end. Do you mind helping me with the lid, ....? Sorry, I don't think I got your name. I'm Ben."
 
Kelemvor Temple | Catacombs:

Pushing himself off the floor, Hestia dug her claws into the acolyte's robes to hold on. "Oh, right -- names." He moved towards the lid of the stone chest, "I'm Acolyte Amadeus, it's nice to be officially introduced I suppose, even if it ended up being in the catacombs."

Managing to close it between the two of them, he adjusted his robes, frowning at the small claw marks from Hestia who trilled and bumped her head into his chin. "Sorry little one ... going to have to leave you down here again for a bit. After what happened, everyone's going to be on alert, and I expect they'll want to search the catacombs. Hopefully I can keep you from being found..."

Moving back towards the entrance of the De'Porthca section, the acolyte gestured for Ben to follow as Hestia wrapped herself around his neck. He tapped his necklace again, renewing the simple cantrip, "I don't really use weapons ... but I swear that bow looks like it'll shatter as soon as you use it." He shrugged, "Either way ... belongs to your family, so, up to you how you use it."
 
"Good to meet you Acolyte Amadeus." Benito smiled, "And you Hestia." He followed Amadeus back toward the entrance, pausing for a moment at his mother's plaque.

"I... don't know what I'm going to do or if I'll succeed, but... if I don't, I'll see you soon. And if I do, I'll be back to tell you about it." A tear rolled down his cheek as he collected the torch, wiped his face and headed on, "Let's go."

As Amadeus spoke of the bow, Ben shrugged, "Bows are kind of my thing. If it doesn't work, I'll fix it. If I can't fix it, I'll at least be able to mount it on the wall."

Eventually they reached the brazier of torches and Ben thanked Amadeus again as he ascended the steps, approaching those who had gathered.

"Lizy, could you do that thing with the pearl and the chanting and tell me a bit about this? It may have belonged to an ancestor." He offered her the bow before he turned his attention to the rest, "We're summoning the elemental. We'll do it before sun down, you have until then to figure out how to free Lestone."
 
Ander placed his hand on Ben's shoulder, and gave him a slightly worried smile. "I've got your back, friend. We'll put an end ta this now." He continued to watch the kids out of the corner of his eye, but he knew that their parents would have to protect them for now.
 
Listening as Virra said about Ben being upset, Tyrius wasn't too surprised. 'That... thing, whatever it was, had the nerve to attack during the funeral for his brother. I'd be surprised if Ben wasn't upset at that.'

"One water elemental?" Tyrius asked, "Sure, though I should probably warn you, most of my offensive spells are fire-related."

'And not to mention what could happen if I lose control of my magic.' Tyrius added in his own mind as he heard footsteps approach and saw Ben carrying an old bow. 'Huh, hope that proves useful. There's not much Ben can't do with a bow in hand.'

"Wait, wait, free Lestone?" Tyrius asked, surprised at that sudden revelation.
 
Winston looked towards Cate when Ben mentioned the deadline for figuring out how to save Lestone. Maybe she should go back to sleep until it's time to go, she might dream up a solution! Winston smirked briefly, but the look did not linger on his face long as he remembered that he was to work with these people to help Benito. If Benito trusted them, he should at least give them the benefit of the doubt. He looked at all of the others in turn to see who would respond to Tyrius, but when no one spoke up he cleared his throat. "Ah, yes, free Lestone might be the new plan now? According to Miss Cate here, she had been contacted by Lestone last night in her dreams? I think? But she has introduced the idea that possibly Lestone is a captive and not an emissary for the Sea. Right?" He turns and looks at Cate questioningly. "I'm not too sure how any of that would work, but that's how I understood it."
 
Catelyn looked over to Winston and gave him a slight nod. “Well... yes and no. I would believe that the word slave would be more accurate than captive. The Sea has him bound to do her bidding, and there is nothing that I know of that could break that bond. Still, if given the opportunity I believe he would revolt against his master.” She paused and looked away, her gaze drifting down to the cord around her hand. “Still, even if he does fight with us, I believe the only true way to end his suffering and set him free would be through death. I aim to find a way to make his will his own before that decision is made.”
 
"Does anyone have any idea where to begin searching for those answers? We've little time to search, but there are many of us. If we have some ideas we can go looking." Benito looked around, "We have to work together if we stand any chance of success. I'll not stand idly by while people, children, are in danger for their fathers' debts. I've already suffered too much for the past, but I am not blind to the dangers we face and the fact that each of us possess skills that the others are lacking."

"Rich, please help Mel get everything together for this evening. I'd like to perform the ritual while there's still light in the sky." Ben addressed the Defallians before he turned back to the others with a sigh, "So, where do we start?"
 
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