For a Good Cause...

Fireday, the 17th of Vatelion
The drizzle continues. A line of bodies have been arrayed in the town center. The remains of the skeletons have been swept into a pile. Kendon, the former Beadle of Cluth who secretly operated as an unholy priest, has been beheaded and dragged into the square. His gnarled head stands mounted on a spear in view of all. Laén and Xavier stand over their fallen comerade, Þórhal, who died at the hands of the evil priest's dark powers. He has been washed, wrapped in white cloth, and laid on a stone bier within the tiny church. The villagers of Cluth stand in awe at the fallen hero. Knights from the Order of Lonusso pay their respects for his valor and utter prayers for his soul. The mood is a mix of shock, sadness and relief.

Commander Hayn of the Knights Lonusso prepares to leave. They appoint a new village Protector, and issue orders for the proper cleansing, rites and burial of the dead and skeleton remains (who are after all ancestral remains of the village).

Laén speaks to Hayn about the possibility of returning Þórhal to life. Hayn knows it is costly, must be performed by a highly ordained priest, and is usually only performed in special circumstances. However, Hayn consider the circumstances extraordinary and offers to provide sufficient reference to convince any God-serving order to perform the service.

On the matter of cost, Hayn allows Laén to take any of the late Beadle's belongings to finance the resurrection, provided the items are not evil or tainted. Laén examines the body and searches Kendon's house. The party gain a masterwork heavy mace, a heavy shield, 200gp, and what is later identified as a +1 glamered full plate!

The Knights Lonusso depart for Belm, and after some time Laén and Xavier (along with Tungdil and Milo who are moping around the cart somewhere) load Þórhal's corpse onto the cart and do the same.

Godsday, the 20th of Vatelion
In Belm they inform Father Cathon of the events which transpired in Cluth. He is shocked to learn that his friend, Father Steramon, was murdered by Bugbears along with the entire woodcutter camp he had gone there to help. It appears that Steramon had suspected dark happenings around Cluth, and that the dark priest Kendon had arranged for a tribe of Bugbears to have Steramon killed, along with the entire woodcutter camp. The corpses of the woodcutters would later be used to create the army of undead which attacked Cluth.

Earthday, the 21st of Vatelion
Father Cathon examines Þórhal's corpse and delivers the bad news that he had been slain by such dark powers, it would require the magical assistance of Cardinal Gleam himself to bring Þórhal back to life. Worse, the ceremony would twice as costly, consuming ten diamonds (to the tune of 10,000gp). Xavier and Laén, disheartened but persistent, consider their options.

They could liquidate their magic items. According to their investigations they could raise 10,000gp through this method, but they would be essentially naked thereafter. This was considered the least favorable solution. Regardless they ask Midd to scour his contacts for any item dealers who could pay good money for their magic items, and for anywhere they could acquire ten diamonds.

At the Knights Lonusso they ask after Hayn, and inquire whether someone within his Order could assist. Hayn passes their request up the hierarchy, and communicates that considering the extraordinary circumstances of his death the Order of the Knights Lonusso would be willing to invest 5,000gp towards Þórhals resurrection. By invest, he means that Xavier, Laén and Þórhal would all swear (and be magically bound) to perform an unspecified service for the Knights Lonusso at some point in the future. This was preferable to selling everything, but not quite what they'd call a 'clean' solution.

Airday, the 22nd of Vatelion
Midd returns and says that one of his contacts might be able to help. They will get in touch. That night as the city sleeps, a familiar shadow tells Xavier and Laén to awake. It's that guy, Tiremy, from the thieves guild, sitting in the same chair in the same corner. He even got in the same way. Tiremy explains that he has heard of the party's need, and that with careful planning, execution, and flexible morals it would be possible to acquire the diamonds they need. He gives them an address where they could talk more... privately.

Lightday, the 23rd of Vatelion
The next day Xavier and Laén follow Tiremy's instructions and enter the obscure doorway with the broken hinge, just as anticipated. Tiremy greets them and they talk business. A local jewler has most unwisely decided to refuse the Thieve Guild's protection services. Xavier and Laén's job is simply to elucidate the folly of his ways. They are to rip him off. There are conditions, of course. Firstly, no killing. The Thieves guild manage to avoid a lot of attention from the authorities by holding true to this rule. Secondly, the thieves guild takes 25 percent of the take. Considering the generosity of the Guild, it is more than fair.

Xavier and Laén put their heads together, borrow some items, buy some scrolls, and a plan is hatched. The plan itself is rather simple. They get in, get the gems, and get the hell out again. Easy as pie. Darkvision scrolls will let them see in the dark, and silence scrolls will let them bypass the guards undetected. What could go wrong?

Iceday, the 26th of Vatelion
Well, the events of that night were somewhat of a blur except to say that they got the gems, used only one silence scroll, didn't use any of their darkvision scrolls, and got away clean. All in all, a roaring success. (My second favorite moment was when they sapped the sleeping wife into unconsciousness. My favorite moment was when they were trying to repeatedly sap the jewler moments after the silence spell finished. Their retreat was expeditious.)

Godsday, the 27th of Vatelion
Back inside the Cathedral they examined the contents of the safe, which had been indiscriminately stuffed into a sack. Among several important documents, folders and notebooks was a small leather pouch. Xavier tipped the contents into his palm, and twelve tiny diamonds spilled forth. As day broke they returned to Tiremy. Their borrowed gear was returned, and three diamonds were paid as promised. Tiremy congratulated them. "Excellent work, lads. For a first time you have done rather well. You've still much to learn, but you've passed the initiation. Welcome to the thieves guild."

Xavier and Laén purchase a tenth and final diamond (from a different jewler), return to the Cathedral of Belm and ask Father Cathon to make arrangements for the resurrection ceremony.

Earthday, the 28th of Vatelion
The cathedral is emptied and closed; Þórhal's corpse is laid across the altar; the gems are crushed and placed on a silver dish; finally, Cardinal Gleam himself is summoned and the ritual begins. Glean kneels before the altar, clasps his hands together, and prays. His words boom around the room in an ancient divine tongue. Light streams through the stained glass panes in the ceiling, illuminating dust mites which drift and swirl in tides. The party watch in silence, entranced and expectant. As Gleam's final words trail off, he sprinkles the diamond dust along the length of Þórhal's corpse. Flecks of diamond collect among the crevices of Þórhal's skin and folds of his garb, glittering in the dim light. And then, a moment of silence. A complete calm falls over the room. Nobody breathes. Even the dust stops swirling. A sensation sweeps over all present which causes the hair on their necks to rise and goosebumps to form, as if a great invisible presence had entered the room and was considering them in turn. The diamond flecks begin to illuminate a soft white light, and slowly sink into Þórhal's hair, face and clothes as hot coals might burn through soft carpet, and the light dims away. A single breath is drawn deep, held for a moment, and released in a sigh. It is Þórhal.

GM's Notes:

• Obstacles Overcome (XP to be updated later):
  Two guards (CR4)
  Two dogs (CR 2/3)
  Lichard Gemmy (the jewler) and his wife. (CR1)
  Total Encounter Level CR5 => 1600XP
  
  Xavier & Laén = 8462XP + 800XP = 9262XP (82% to level 5)
  Þórhal = 8000XP (50% to level 5)
  
  
• I really enjoyed this session. It took some planning, but I was really able to give the players free will about what they wanted to do. Of course they chose the easy way out (I knew they would, and was prepared in advance) but they didn't have to.
  
  
• The burglary was great. I provided as much detail as I could and they planned it as best they could. I picked at as many technical slip-ups as I could which forced the players to improvise a bit, but it all went more or less to plan which was great. Þórhal was resurrected, and just in time for next session too. :)