A Civilized Discussion With a Madman From Beyond the Grave

We followed the stairway down and found ourselves in an ancient sewer. The sewer was now dry, and there was an empty channel running alongside it. Bran pointed out that a sewer of this size meant that we must be in a large city, buried beneath the ground.

We followed the sewer and found a room with a number of cages. The cages held the bodies of humanoids that died recently. The bodies looked as though they had been starved and beaten. We did not see anyone here, not even any animata.

Near the cages, we found a book and a hook dagger. Caleb examined the book and dagger closely. He turned to Tiny, our Dwarven Cleric.

"Dwarf, you're a ritualist, right?"

Tiny nodded.

Caleb handed the book and dagger to Tiny. "Well, now you're a Feeder. Kale, you can use this as well," he told our Human Wizard.

The book was called the Traveler's Feast. It contained the instructions for making food for 5 people from 35 gold pieces of ingredients. The hook dagger was a Harvesting Dagger that Feeders use to collect the residue from animata.

We stopped to ponder our next move. Tiny suggested that we raise the dead bodies to give us some answers, but we agreed that this might be a dangerous path to take. In addition, the smell from the bodies in the cages was becoming overwhelming.

We decided instead to follow the tunnel. The tunnel led upward and then took a sharp turn. Bran snuck around the corner, but the passage ahead was dark. Kale lit a rock and threw it around the corner.

Ahead, we saw a door to a room. We opened the door to find ourselves in a long, triangular room. In the middle of the room was a long table with seats around the table. Sitting in a chair in the middle was a shrouded figure with its back toward us.

Was this a living creature? Or yet another beaten and starved body?

We approached the table, and Tiny poked at the back of the black-clothed figure. We heard it rustle as it sprung alert and turned to face us.

t threw back its hood to reveal a gaunt face with skin stretched tightly across its bones. It wore a shiny helm on its head. Tiny felt that whatever this creature was, it was no longer a human.

"Greetings," it spoke. "My name is Baird. Won't you all take a seat?"

"A seat?"

"Encounters don't have to be that tense," Baird said.

We took our seats across the table from Baird. Tiny looked closely at Baird's helm. "What is that?" Tiny asked as he pointed at the helm. "Where did it come from?"

"It's a trinket that I found," Baird answered. "It helps me to clear my mind."

You also have a trinket," Baird continued as he pointed at Loom, Tiny's magical hammer. "Where did that come from?"

"Another world," replied Tiny. "Can I have that helm?"

Baird chuckled. "We're not in the bargaining stage yet."

"How long have you been here?" asked Tiny.

"Quite some time." Baird went on to explain that the Minotaurs that we fought had worked for him. We told Baird that we killed the Minotaurs, and Baird let out a tired sigh. "That's the thing about life. Sometimes, you aren't up to its challenges, and then you die."

"What do you do here?" Tiny asked.

"I do experiments. I try to help people."

"Do you experiment on yourself?"

"I did experiment on my body before. But not anymore. What is the body but a lump of clay? What use is anything in this world?"

"Are you alone here?"

"No, it's not just me down here."

"Are those your animata?"

"No -- they are ancient servants of a long-dead foe. They were ordered to find this place and kill whoever was inside. But that Old War has been fought and lost."

Bran, the Halfling Rogue, noticed how pale and thin Baird was. Bran offered Baird some hard tack to eat.

"Thank you," said Baird.

"How did you help people with your experiments?"

"Have you seen the people in the cages that you passed? I helped them to see past the world. If you give me more captives, I can show you how I helped the others."

A chill ran through my spine.

"Are you the master of this place?"

"No, I am just squatting here.... waiting..."

"The Raven Queen is also patient," Bran remarked.

"Death is patient," Baird replied. "Death is fickle. I had some acquaintance with the Lover of the Raven Queen... but that war has been fought and lost."

"Who sent the animata to find and kill the people in this place?"

"The 100 sent the animata. Even though their hand has been removed form the tiller, their boat continues to drift forward."

"Boat? Is there water is this desert?"

"The Waste is not just a desert. There is Ocean Waste as well."

"Did you know the 100? We have fought some of them in the past. Do you know the 101?"

Baird nodded. "I knew the 100. I only know the 101 by reputation."

"Now," Baird said quietly, his patience seeming to wear thin, "Why don't you give me that Finder of yours, and I will let you go."

"What would you give us in exchange?"

"Mercy."

"But we're on your side -- we also face the 100. We have battled their Sworn before."

"How I would love to track down and kill the 100. The Sworn -- those were the days."

"Have you sworn anyone before?"

"No, what would I need the Sworn for?"

"Can you tell us where the 100 got their power?"

"The 100 got their power from the Lover of the Raven Queen." Baird seemed to be losing his patience.

"Can you help us find the Centenarch?"

Baird looked at us quizzically. "Why are you looking for the Centenarch?" He sighed. "There is a city called Lordahl. It is a haven for spelunking types, such as yourselves. It is a busy place that sits atop a vast mine... It is a city on a ruined city."

We turned to Caleb, who simply shrugged. He had not heard of Lordahl before.

Baird pondered for a moment. "It is a shame about the Minotaurs."

"We could raise them from the dead for you," offered Tiny.

"If you raise the Minotaurs and throw in your Finder -- dead -- I'll let you live."

"Do you surrender?" asked Tiny.

Baird almost looked amused. "By the way, if you indeed know the 100, then tell Logrid that I've got one of her books."

"Did you know Logrid?" we asked.

"I fought her," Baird replied.

"I was her," interjected Tiny.

Baird looked as though he was done with us. "It was pleasant while it lasted," he said. "And now...."

"It is time to eat!" he called out behind us, where four powerful ghouls arose.