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Session 9, Part 3: Goodies and the Gift of Lathander...
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Now that the party had given up on the search for Runtel, they decided that it was time to explore the coffin in further detail. The room containing the coffin had a high vaulted ceiling with walls made of black stone with threads of golden metal running through the stone like veins through a hand.
The coffin was constructed of the same black and gold stone as the walls, and was located in the center of the room. As the party approached, they were able to peer through its translucent crystal cover to witness a skeletonized form of a tall human holding a long staff and an ornate mahogany box.
Hunter stood forward, determined to throw this lid off just as he had in the last crypt. Hunter grabbed the lid and heaved with all of his might. He stopped quickly and held his hand to his back, grimacing to hide the sharp pain that he was experiencing. “Err, that’s really heavy.”
He looked up in astonishment to see all of his friends gawking at him. “Oh I’d like to see you try,” he retorted.
Then he realized that they weren’t mocking his weakness, but were staring at the glowing green aura that was now surrounding him, just as it had to the now deceased Mind Flayer Lich. He pondered the implications of the green glow and shrugged. “Nothing I can do about that now,” he said and began trying to pry the lid off the coffin.
Spiderfang was much more concerned about the possible long-term effects of the glowing aura, but noticed that his friend was suffering no immediate effects and Hunter really needed some help. With their combined force, they were able to heave the lid off and retrieve the items inside.
The mahogany box contained a dark gray stone etched with a symbol of a sun, (the rune of the sun) and a scroll with a drawing of the same symbol and the word, “persetcher.” The staff was finely crafted and carved with ornate runes, causing both Drexel and Spiderfang to lightly salivate with anticipation of what powers it might hold.
Drexel was quick to recommend that the party spend the night in the sealed crypt and identify some of the magical items that they had recently acquired. The others, many of which were still recovering from the fireball, were happy to oblige. The party had begun amassing a decent pile of items with unknown effects.
The next day was like a holiday. New weapons were handed out and many interesting magical items had been identified. Many even had powers that existed beyond Drexel’s arcane comprehension. Drexel also found that one of the books that had detected magic from Rothilion’s library had done so because it had a magic page stuffed in the back cover. The page in fact was the final missing page from the Testament of Jade that the party had recovered in Tower of Bone. As Drexel inserted the final page, the book began to glow brightly and when the blinding light had passed the book was completely whole.
Drexel handed the book to Ziona, “I believe that this is meant for a cleric.”
Ziona peered down at the book in which she now held in her hands. The Testament of Jade was a leather-bound book with pages 1 foot square. Its fine green leather cover was encrusted with small pieces of jade. The front was etched with the symbol of Lathander, and a green silk bookmark was sewn into the spine. The book emanated a very faint glow, and appeared to be in such excellent shape that one would think that it was recently bound.
Ziona read many chapters in the book that day as Drexel continued to identify items. The others were at first happy to see such a powerful item in the hands of their healer, but began to worry about Ziona’s bond with Eilistraee when she would periodically look up from the book and began reciting the words of Lathander.
“Strive always to aid, to foster new hope, new ideas, and new prosperity, of all humankind and allies.”
“Perfect thyself, guard ever against pride, for it is a sacred duty to foster new things, and work for rebirth and renewal.”
“Whenever possible, see each dawn.”
With the last passage of the day Rossal rolled his eyes in annoyance, as he lay curled up at Ziona’s feet. Rossal hadn’t gotten a cookie all day; he had no sympathy for Lathander.
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Still more to come…
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