Closing the Books on Karnack

16 November, 595

Part I

The next day Baxtor is told to come to the temple immediately. Gathering the rest of the group, they arrive to find that Karnack's body has decomposed hideously; his flesh melting and turning black, and infested with maggots. They are informed that the temple plans to burn what is left of his body.

Salla is relieved that they can spend the gold on something else.

Alastriel determines that some of the items they found in Drakthar's lair have magical properties, and they take a trip to Skie's Treasury to drop them off for identification.

More investigation into Drakthar's lair. The group wanders into an octagonal room occupied by a male human and a female half-orc. The woman demands to know who they are and where Drakthar is. Baxtor calmly informs them that they have killed him, so she flies into a rage and rushes at him brandishing her halberd. Between a volley of magic missiles from the human and a vicious swing from the halberd, Baxtor is quickly taken out of commission. The woman then charges out of the room while the mage provides cover with offensive spells, during which time they seem to be bickering. Alastriel fires back with a magic missile but it seems to have no effect. After a bloody series of exchanges which also sidelines Serro, the woman is forced back into the room, and eventually brought down by crossbow fire. Alastriel is able to put the man to sleep, and Salla rushes in to perform the coup de grace. Their bodies are plundered and the group finds a nice set of expertly crafted weapons and some items which they suspect are magical.

They venture back to the temple for more healing.

Stake Through the Heart

15 November , 595

Part II

Serro joins Salla and Alastriel and informs them that the vampire is likely at its most vulnerable if indeed it has retreated to its coffin. With this information, the are able to move the floor piece aside, revealing the resting body of the vampire. Salla fashions a wooden stake by splintering Baxtor's spear, and drives it into the heart of the creature. Salla gruesomely removes the head, as is his custom, and the body is taken to the surface, along with a limping Baxtor, and the body of Karnack.

Baxtor and Karnack are taken by the guards to the Temple of Kord where Baxtor is healed (though still he is not his usual self). He is told that the vampire has drained him of most of his life force, and a Restoration spell must be cast on him twice in order to return him to his normal state. The price is expensive, but affordable. But Karnack, however, will need to raised from the dead to be helped, which is quite costly.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group decides to take the vampire body to the town hall, where a large crowd gathers to see what they are up to. When the crowd learns that they are toting a vampire, a flash of panic ripples through the crowd, but Captain Skellerang addresses the crowd and gets them to disperse. The Captain suggests they take the body to the Cathedral of Wee Jas and return to him when they are finished.

At Wee Jas they meet with Ike Iverson (the second priest in command), who agrees to take the body and dispose of it with the proper procedure. He gives them two flasks of holy water and instructs them to pour it into Drakthar's coffin, thus ensuring the destruction of the unholy site.

Baxtor rejoins the party at the Captain's office and he gives them the reward money up front (2000 gp), extracting a promise from them that they finish off the goblin investigation and make sure that everything is safe. They stop by the jail cell where Kyladrian is being held, but Salla is not quite convinced Kyladrian is back to his old self, and they decide to leave him there a bit longer.

Another expedition under the bath house and the holy water is poured into the coffin. They also plunder the numerous items and treasure that is littered about the room.

The group confers and decides to spend the gold on raising Karnack from the dead. They inform Asfelkir, the head priest at the Temple of Kord, and preparations are made to perform the ceremony the next day.