OOC Chat II

[JadedDM]

Some questions I wanted to ask:

What will the party use as a light source when night comes? Building a fire indoors can be a problem, but they still have that enchanted coin of Jerrard's.

There are lots of dead bodies outside; dwarven and elven. Will the party leave them be for now, or do something about them in now in case they attract predators/scavengers?

We've established a watch, but will those on watch sit outside or inside? Remember that Babushka and Locky have infravision, but Ulster and Thuskar do not.

[Breila]

I would suggest that those on watch sit in the doorway.

Since it has been agreed that we will not move the next day, doing something about the dead bodies would be a good task for those able enough to do it, IMO.

[JadedDM]

Should they dispose of the bodies, how will they do so? Set them on fire? Bury them?

[Jenara]

Perhaps we should build a cairn? Set the dwarves on fire and therefore get rid of them? The elves believe in the same, do they not?

[JadedDM]

It's up to you guys, but I did some research. According to the Races of Ansalon sourcebook:

Silvanesti funeral rites are every bit as formal as the rest of their rituals. When a Silvanesti dies, his body is ritually washed by a special caste of House Servitor. Once washed and dressed in his funeral clothes, the body is laid reverently on a granite slab, House Cleric recites lengthy and formal prayers, and mourners burn incense and bid their final goodbyes. Silvanesti culture traditionally discourages below ground burial; instead, mortal remains are consigned to a sarcophagus in a mausoleum. In exile, this is very difficult, and many Silvanesti prefer below ground burial to the barbaric rituals of their Kagonesti brethren. The thought of leaving their body to the scavengers of the land or sea disgusts Silvanesti. Different Houses have different variations on the ritual. House Mystic adds, with great ceremony, the deceased’s personal spellbooks to the House library. House Protector salutes a departed warrior with loud clapping.

and

“From earth to earth and stone to stone, we give back what Reorx has delivered unto us.” This common phrase is uttered at many dwarven funerals. Mountain dwarf tradition dictates that honored dwarves must be buried in the earth upon their death. In the kingdom of Thorbardin, that tradition is upheld by placing the dead in a sacred valley above the underground kingdom known as the Valley of the Thanes. Thanes and dwarven nobility are given locations along the edges of the valley in the rock walls. Giant burial chambers with circular stone plugs house their bodies and, in some cases, the bodies of their honored ancestors. All other dwarves are given plots within different locations around the valley based on their clan affiliation.

When a dwarf is laid to rest, he is often buried with personal effects, such as weapons, armor, jewels, and tokens of respect from their family and friends. When the burial ceremony is complete, the tomb is closed or the grave covered with small boulders.

So following these to the letter is probably impossible. Obviously we have no Silvanesti of House Cleric or House Servitor around. But Locky is a Cleric of E'li (even if she's not an elf), so if she passes a Religion check, she could try to pull off the proper cleansing ritual. Then it might be best to burn them, since they find being buried distasteful and barbaric, and there are no tombs for us to place them in.

As for the Daergar, looks like the best bet is to bury them.

[Breila]

I modify my suggestion a little: Let's take the kiraths' bodies and lay them down in the building with the broken statuary, to keep them safe from scavengers during the night. Babushka and Thuskar could do that into their watch, if there's enough moonlight and starlight for Thuskar to see what he's doing.

Would it be possible to carry all the daergar into the depression and cover them with stones, the next day? e.g., are there enough stones either lying around or easy to take away from a crumbling building?

[Jenara]

I like that plan

[JadedDM]

Babushka and Thuskar could do that into their watch, if there's enough moonlight and starlight for Thuskar to see what he's doing.

It's still only around 5PM, so they could probably do it by daylight if they want.

Would it be possible to carry all the daergar into the depression and cover them with stones, the next day? e.g., are there enough stones either lying around or easy to take away from a crumbling building?

To cover 42 dwarf bodies? (Plus possibly a whisper spider?) Maybe if they use the mining equipment to tear down one of the smaller buildings, sure. But I'm not sure there's enough stray rocks lying around to cover that many of them.

[NoTrammeling]

I want Fikod to go and gather the venom from the Whisper Spider's corpse at some point during the wind-down/night. He'll empty/clean an oil flask and store what he can in there.

[Breila]

What about bringing them all into one building and closing the entrance with stones?

[JadedDM]

That could work.

[Breila]

So what about this: Today, Thuskar and Babushka will bring the elves' bodies into the building with the ruined statuary. Hopefully, any scavengers would "serve themselves" from the bodies lying outside. Some ritual of passing could then be done the next day.

Also, we then can carry the daergar's remains to another suitable building and seal the entrance with stones.

[JadedDM]

Yes, let's move forward. Does Babushka remember any source of water they have passed recently?

No, but a successful Survival check (1d20) would allow her to find some nearby. Failing that, Jeremy could also try, although he suffers a penalty due to his severe fatigue.

[Breila]

She will do that in the morning, then, when Locky prays and Jerrard studies. The water in their waterskin suffices for the night.

[Jenara]

did Jerrards condition preclude him from regaining his spells? I stated he would be studying before he rested.