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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cinerarium" data-source="post: 867043" data-attributes="member: 9349">Hammer 5, the Temple of Deneir Before retiring, Kazir and I talked over our options.  Neither of us wanted to pursue the Oghmite killers for the moment, and we still had the lead on Opulio’s fate to follow up on in the cemetery.  We decided that we would tackle that obstacle first, and without the rest of our group, Begeth Toth could help us.  If all went well, perhaps he would give us his information earlier than planned.With that in mind, we set out to find out what we could about the cemetery.  I found an audience with Five-Crossings, first to see if he had discovered any news of the enemy, and also to see if he knew the whereabouts of the apple orchard cemetery.  Five-Crossings had little information on the Gul-Drimm, other than a name they were called during the Age of Heroes: the Anti-Heroes.  It seems that while our side, the side of the Light, had its Heroes, the side of Dark had its heroes as well, the Anti-Heroes, the Gul-Drimm.  According to legend, all were thought defeated.Once again I pondered our fate, how we had stumbled into something spanning the ages of Ostia Prim.  Perhaps Pell was right, and our entire quest so far has been a Moomgibble.  But like a moth to a flame, I am drawn to this mystery.  Even if these mysterious black-robed killers are only taking the name of the Drimm, they represent an evil that would harm that which I hold dear, as evidenced by their slaying of the Oghmite and the theft of one of the great Binder’s tomes.More relevant to our plans for the day, Reader Omad was able to shed some light on the cemetery we sought.  He spoke of a cemetery for the Orchard Guard, where that ill-fated company was laid to rest some twenty winters past.  This cemetery is in the Old City Ward not far from Harlan’s, or the Thieves’ Roads we had walked just two days past.  Kazir and I left to investigate this cemetery during daylight, to see if we could find the statue spoken of in the goblinoid note.As promised, the cemetery was in the Old City Ward, and we had little trouble locating it.  On entering the gate, we were confronted by an elderly dwarf who brought us up short.  “Who are ye, and what be ye wanting in these hallowed grounds?” he asked.“I am Tryn, and this is Kazir, friend dwarf.  We are new to Harren, and we were curious to find this old cemetery here.  Is there a story behind it?”“Aye, there is, sure enough, and I could show you around if you wish.  But first, could I bother you to run and get me a bottle of Margiven mead?  My old legs aren’t so great at running, and I’m supposed to stay here anyways.”That seemed like an easy enough request, and it didn’t occur to me later to wonder if he was trying to distract us.  At any rate, we soon returned with his mead.“Ah, lads, I thank ye kindly.  The name’s Bagulf Burlap, and I’ve been the caretaker of these grounds since they laid the Orchard Guard to rest here, bless their lost souls.  So, what can I do for ye?”As an aside, readers of this journal may want to know more about the Orchard Guard.  I know little of their history, save its ramifications on the current politics of Luc Valu.  I know that the Orchard Guard were founded by Lord Kliven Redshield, Knight of the Apples, a nobleman who distinguished himself by leading a number of skirmishes with bandits before being granted Ducal permission by the late Duke of Harren to found the Orchard Guard in 1342 DR.  The Guard died attempting to guard the late duke during the battle of the Bluehorn.  While touring the cemetery with Bagulf, he let us know that most in Harren look down on the Orchard Guard for failing to protect the late Duke, and thus their mausoleum was added to this existing cemetery in the slums.  Indeed, most of the graves in the cemetery date from closer to the time of Harren’s founding from 650 to 920 DR.  Bagulf pointed out one such grave as belonging to Rimani Ashyr (died 868 DR), a half-elf known for his beautiful, romantic poetry.  Bagulf had quite a few colorful things to say about those as visit Rimani’s grave, but I made a mental note to look up the poetry, for use if and when my life ever settles down enough to find a respectable woman in this city.Of most interest to us, of course, was the statue of the late Lord Redshield, whose son, Klovor, still holds an estate near the Hills estate.  Lord Redshield’s statue is of a well-proportioned man with a sweeping mustache, holding a massive kite shield, with one arm upraised.  The upraised arm is broken at the forearm, the stone hand holding a broadsword lying in the thick grass some twenty feet away.  The shield was clearly once colored red, but time and neglect have taken their toll.  At the base of the statue, carved on the lip of a dry fountain, is written “Born to the forests and hills of Luc Valu, sworn to the Harrenhal, the Brothers of the Orchard held to their Oath when the Jaspar ran red as apples.”Facing the statue is a mausoleum, where the members of the Guard were laid to rest.  Bagulf seemed sad that these stalwart men and women were so neglected by those they had died to protect, and I too felt a twinge of remorse in this quiet graveyard.  My remorse turned to anger thinking of those using the hallowed site as a slave exchange!  Kazir noted that the lock on the cemetery was of new make, newer than the gates to the mausoleum itself.  Bagulf found this odd, thinking initially that perhaps the city bureaucrats had been into the mausoleum without informing him as was due.  We decided to let Bagulf know our true interests in the graveyard, that we suspected slavers of using the graveyard as a nighttime meeting place, and that we hoped to ambush these kidnappers and bring them to justice.  Bagulf was greatly disturbed by our news, and agreed to let us have the run of the cemetery that night, as long as we promised he would not be harmed.  We actually hoped he could rouse the guard if needed for our aid.Our reconnaissance of the cemetery complete, we journeyed the short distance to Harlan’s, where again we met with Begeth.  Again I tried to get him to reveal his information without further payment, but he proved not to be so simple.  We told him that we had a dangerous mission planned for that night, and asked if he could accompany us.  Whatever other qualities he has, Begeth proved a man of his word.  He agreed to meet us at the graveyard at sunset, and Kazir and I moved to put the rest of our plan into effect.  We bought a potion that would make me appear to be a large goblinoid, and Kazir purchased a scroll that would allow him to create the illusion of four other captives.  We aimed to light the lantern in the graveyard, while appearing to be five captives (Kazir and his illusions) guarded by two goblinoids (the half-orc and myself, in disguise).To be continued...</blockquote>

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