The Sinister Spire
The party was hired by Ian Turbrand of Kingsholm to recover the king's bones. He offered an additional 500 GP each.
Discovered the bodies of the halfling and goblin grave robbers. The halfling was killed by arrows and bites. The goblin was turned to stone. Found a note on the body of the halfling:
Fadheela,
I have been delayed. My servants carry the king's bones and all of the items of his champions that I could find. Merthύvial I cannot locate. I shall spend a bit more time trying to find it, but I am sending these on so our rendezvous is not compromised. Please give the Vanguard my regards. I shall be along shortly.
- Xeron
Favors for Es Sarch:
Travel to Rikaryon's Isle in the Sullen Sea and retrieve at least ten black mushrooms with red spots in the shape of tiny hands. Collected 13 mushrooms from Rikaryon's Isle.
Eliminate or drive off Elessarwa Nledoor, matron of the House Dusklorn.
Find the old tannery on Matron Road near the wall that encircles Noble's Bluff. The skin shop's ghastly smell yet lingers in the area. Inside, on the southern wall, find a green stain in the shape of a three-fingered hand. That stain marks the location of a hidden trap door that opens to a passage under the building. Follow the tunnel to its highest point. You'll come to the doorway of the chamber used by Elessarwa for her arts.
Killed Elessawra.
Found three scrolls amongst Fadheela's belongings.
Scroll 1
My Lord Gazaron,
Hail the Vanguard of Sertrous!
As you see, I am good to my word. Through Fadheela, I have sent you the bones and most of the items you requested. I still search for Merthύvial as I write this – the blade is hidden well. I hope the Vanguard is pleased.
You would do well, my lord, to consider your contract with the hobgoblin mercenaries breached. The brutes went on a looting spree that almost compromised the entire mission.
Should you desire it, I volunteer to deal with Krootad – their leader, the priest of Urgathoa, if you remember – myself.
- Xeron
Scroll 2
Fadheela,
You have our thanks for sending the bones and items to us here in the fortress. With the king’s bones in hand, the phrophecy is about to be bent to the will of the Vanguard of Sertrous! However, two of the items are missing from what you sent – Merthύvial and Banrhialorg. Please explain this discrepancy.
- Gazaron
Scroll 3
Garazon,
That fool Xeron never sent Merthύvial as he promised he would, nor has he arrived in Pedestal to deliver it to me. That's your mess to clean. His worthless lackeys tried to withhold the items you wanted until their master arrived, so you got what you have only because I brook no defiance. The sword might still show up, or Xeron is dead. I do not know which is likely, nor do I care.
I am taking the staff as my own, and if you want it, you will have to face me. I’ve sent the bones and other weapons along. Count yourself lucky I did not reserve anything else for myself.
- Fadheela
Barrow of the Forgotten King The party was originally hired by Ian Turbrand of Kingsholm to investigate the disappearance of the Yurling family and two members of the town guard. They were paid 50 GP each.
Upon returning with a survivor and news of grave robbery and murder, Ian offered an additional 250 GP each to catch or destroy whoever or whatever defiled the mausoleum.
While on the trail of the villains, the party encountered and saved a half-elf bard named Leera. She was a member of the grave robber expedition but did not know what she had signed up for nor the character of the people with which she was associating. She was able to identify the leader of the robbers as a magic user named Xeron.
The ghost of King Theron identifies the grave robbers as agents of the Vanguard of Sertrous. He does not know who or what it is but he knows that it is evil. Theron presented his sword, Merthύvial, to the party.
The party returned to Kingsholm to reported that they hunted down and killed most of the grave robbers including the leader, Xeron. They were paid 250 GP each. The party also reported that the robbers stole the king's bones and the weapons of his wife and his two champions.
