Session 3 Riddles, Puzzles, and nonsense Oh my!

As we get to the bridge, we see Aurendille. He walks towards us casually with his fingers crossed at his waste. He says that he may have been hasty with how he treated us. We explain that all we did was try to warm Malachoz, and he was able to escape, but we had no idea that we were even being tested.
 
He says that he believes that we will undo the things we did and that he's sorry that he didn't realize our good will would be the cause of his release. He tells us that Malachoz was luring people into the veiled catacombs 200 or 300 years ago. After the war? He was trying to find a portal to release demons, and nobody knows to what end. They believe he was sacrificing souls in the catacombs, but nobody knows to what end. There was a survivor a long time ago, that went into the catacombs. She found a way to enter the catacombs. Usually the etnrance only shows up randomly for a single person not looking for the entrance.
 
That's when they learned he was trying to unleash demons. That lady's name was Arud, a famous pirate who helped the peoples at the beginning of the war about 300 years ago. She had celestial blood, so she has a long life span. she never told anyone where that entrance was. She died about 100 years ago.
 
Lyra remembers a song about Arud....something to do with her estate, but she just can't remember the song. It's on the tip of her toungue. "In the city's embrace a secret door resides" Something about Cambar. A riddle it is, that Lyra was able to solve when she was young. It's a folk song.
 
HOwever, Leland, remembered Lyla singing this song like crazy a few years ago at summer camp. The song goes.
 
"In the city's embrace, a secret does reside,
 
A piece of Calimbar's essence, elusive, it hides.
 
Not just in plain sight, for all to easily see,
 
But in the realm unseen, where secrets decree.
 
 
 
Cast your gaze, adventurer, not just straight ahead,
 
For the key lies obscured, behind veils widespread.
 
Within the subtle depths, a reflective allure,
 
Unveiling the truth, when curiosity you procure."
 
Lyra remembers thinking about this when she was little. There was only one place in Beaumar that has anything to do with Calimbar. It's Calimbar estate where her mom and Lyra grew up.
 
She was able remember the answers are in her house. Callun points out that there is a reflective device, what could htis be? Lyra remembers an old ornate mirror below the estate. They decide to go check it out.
 
They see Lyra's mom. She makes cookies for everyone. Everyone goes down stairs to try and find the mirror. Tempest takes the mirror off the wall. There is an abysal rune carved into the wall underneath and a hidden poem.
 
[7:32 PM] Schaeffer, Harley
 
 
 
 
In the Square's name lies the clue,
 
A weapon of might, chosen and true.
 
Know its wielder, a hero's call,
 
For there lies the key, standing tall.
 
 
 
The mightiest weapon, known to few,
 
Reveals the path, clear and true.
 
Seek the Square's secrets, unlocked by name,
 
And find the first key, in the hero's fame.
 
 
 
The town square is Darcy's Square. Leland uses charcoal and paper to take an etching of the rune. We decide to go to the town square to the statue. Faenor knows that Lucien Darcy was a diplomat who was highly charismatic, and was responsible for uniting Nou Verdeau and Enegarnad. Nou Vedeau was established when the people of Verdeau revolted against their government and wanted to go off on their own. The people were tired of being oppressed and taxed and over policed. Arud and her crew, the Sea Serpents raided a verdeu trade ship, taking all the supplies. tieing up the captain Lanheart and his crew, setting the boat on fire, and leaving them. They distributed the supplies to the people of New Verdeau. This began the revolt. The reckoning of Captain Arud.
 
The Sena Salune offered to help out by fighiging off goblinoids and barbarians to keep the colonies from being attacked by the tribal forces around.
 
However, the Erengarnads (the 6 cities that include Calmibar) didn't want to get involved. Lucinen convinced Lyra's father, Galadrin Elenre to gather the council together so he could talk to them. Galadrian was able to do this and then Lucien was able to convince the council to have their peoples join in the war which made the forces of New Verdeau much stronger.
 
We decide to go downtown to Darcy's square to find the statue. The statue beholds Lucien holding a long scroll in one hand and a quill raised in the other. Faenor tells us that "the pen is mightier than the sword" which is a quote from some famous philosopher.
 
Tempest climbs up and reads the scroll which is a declaration of sovereignty of sorts. the quill also is pointing in a certain direction, and we decide to investigate this. We find a rune similar to the one we found behind the mirror. There is a hidden poem there as well.
 
In a haven once serene, now an enemy's hold,
 
Under the watchful cat's gaze, a key lies untold.
 
Once respite and solace, now a shelter for foes,
 
Seek within, beneath the cat, where the secret flows.
 
 
 
Amidst the transformed haven, where foes now reside,
 
Hidden beneath the cat's watchful eyes, it hides.
 
Unlock the truth's path, reveal what lies in store,
 
Discover the key, and mysteries will explore.
 
We decide to go to the library and do some more research. We learn of a fellow named Seraphine during the Runeforge wars that rode a panther. a long time a ago, some spies of Nord Miar heard about the Verdeau forces finding about the cached weapons in Veau Le Riage. and the were going to try an steal them. the people of Nord Miar went after Verdeau and defeated them with gorilla warfare. Seraphine was the one who was able to warn everyone that the Verdeau were coming, and it is why they were prepared.
 
The librarian tells us there may be a wooden carved statue of Seraphine and his statue in one of the taverns around, but she doesn't remember which one. Maybe "The Shadow's Embrace Tavern" This tavern is a popular place for dangerous folks.
 
WE go in and have to force our way in a bit. Lyra uses her magic of COMMAND to freeze the 2 outside so everyone can go in. The group goes up to the bar looking for information. and order some drinks. Due to Callun knowin Thieves cant he is able to speak with them. He talks to them about the Cat's watchful eye and what that might mean. Meanwhile, Lyra goes over and talks to a drow sitting at a table with a panther lieing next to him. Lyra talks to him. She learns a little bit about drow and how they are cursed by Corleon. and many drow are brain washed at a young age to fear surface dwellers and be blood thirsty for them. This is a tactic created by Lolth to control the cursed drow. She asks this Drow if he could teach her undercommon and the ways of the drow so she may one day be able to garner peace. He says he'll think about it. HIs name is Drizzt Do'orden. He excuses himself and goes upstairs to his room.
 
LEland walks up to an orc that he thinks may be an alchemist. The orc takes his inquiry as an insult and as Leland tries to walk away, the orc pushes him. A fight breaks out, and the group is able to defeat the assailants. Tempest uses a spell that cause many windows and chairs to shatter.
 
After the fight, Lyra apologizes to the bar tender and tempest gives him 2 gold for the damages. After this, the bartender answers our questions about the statue. We see where it use to sit and find a box under the floor with an abyssal rune on it. There is another part of the riddle there as well.
 
In a city's embrace, secrets intertwined,
 
A people bound by whispers, their truths confined.
 
Their cryptic knowledge taken to the grave,
 
Amongst their ranks, one key the secret engraves.
 
 
 
Within the hallowed grounds, a solemn resting place,
 
Lies the grave of the chosen, an enigmatic space.
 
A voice once echoed, a secret's fleeting breath,
 
Within this sacred soil, the key hides in death.
 
 
 
Beneath the silent stone, where memories reside,
 
Whisper the forgotten words, the secret they confide.
 
Lyra gets to thinking about the riddle and remembers her father telling a story about the runeforge dwarves and his best friend Khazstun during the war almost 300 years ago.
 
These dwarves were incredibly secretive. including their fortress. Nobody outside of their people knew where the were and nobody knows where their forge was that was used to create legendary weapons.
 
Their home and forge have been lost with time. However, there is rumor that Lyra's father might know where the location was as he worked very closely with those dwarves.
 
There is a grave of an un named scount in Beaumar. Not Khazstun. that's likely where we need to go. Faenor's grandfather had one of these leendary swords that would separate fey and elves from their after lives if used. It would mow down undead, and it's very dangerous. It's called "The Radiant Dawn". Faenor's grandfather went out one day and disappeared with that weapon. Lyra's dad has a sword called "Starfire".
 
We go to the tomb of the un named scout. Leland and Tempest discover a cornerstone that has sank into the grown. There is an inscription on it. They are able to see the full inscription by removing some of the dirt.
 
It says
 
A guardian of the meek, a hero strong and bold,
 
Protector of the small, with a spirit untold.
 
On a hill he stood, valiant and steadfast,
 
His name a beacon of courage that forever will last.
 
 
 
To claim the key, pay tribute to his glory,
 
Speak his name with reverence, recounting his story.
 
With each day he stood, a tribute you must pay,
 
Whisper his name, honoring his noble display.
 
Faenor, talks about his grandfather, Thalendere Arvala, and thinks this inscription is about him. He was a famous war veteran from the war over 300 years ago. He disappeared with his legendary weapon. He had taught a bunch of farmers about how to be expert archers and defend themselves. They held their ground for 3 days on Willowshire hill during that time, and because of the ferocity he had imbued in those people he drew back the verdeu invaders.
 
We go over to the statue of Thalendere. we recount his story and Faenor whispers his name 3 times. representing the 3 days that he held the ground for the hill.
 
We find another rune with an inscription:
 
In shadows it hides, a weapon of craft,
 
Known for its deceit, yet mercy it has.
 
 
 
A blade of intrigue, both cunning and sly,
 
Its secrets concealed, as whispers pass by.
 
 
 
Within its embrace, the next key awaits,
 
Unveiling the path to unlock hidden gates.
 
Tempest suggests this weapon could be a tongue. Leland suggests it could be Starfire. The painter suggests it could be a dagger, and that's the answer. turns out it's the dagger that Arud thew at the captain's feet before she burned his ship. The painter tells us that captain made his way to Veau Le Riage along with his crew. I guess he left the dagger on the ship which means it's at the bottom of the ocean.
 
We decide that we can use a necklace of water breathing to try and find it later. This is where we end. Drizzt agrees to help Lyra learn undercommon and they spend a couple of hours doing that.