The group woke up to the sound of Cawthorn circling “PURPLE HAT!” Victor woke up first with Serena before the sun had risen. They both threw clothes back on, and he quickly tapped on two doors in the silence before dawn. The group gathered and promptly rushed outside quietly, so fast that Forala didn’t even use her skill. The five emerged in the dreary purple morning before the sun crept up over the horizon noticing the man in a purple hat with a feather sticking out of it and a raven on his shoulder. The raven aggressively squawked.
The group hustled toward him and Forala waved. “Sir! Sir!” She rushed up to him.
The well-dressed dapper man with a robust short beard turned with a smile as the young girl ran toward him eagerly. He bent down to speak to her. “Well, little lady how may I help you.”
Forala asked. “Are you Phil Farson?”
“That I am a young lady. I am merchant extraordinaire, trader, and member of the Freedman’s Guild here for all to see.” He sighed lightly. “Everyday.”
“Sorry, I almost forgot. Gigantify.” She suddenly towered over him, his head only level with his chest. She extended her hand her voice having become much more adult. “My name is Forala Medot. I am the guild leader of The Artifact Hunters Guild.”
His stature and attitude suddenly changed. Oh my, well a little lady you are not.” He extended his hand and shook shocked by her firmness. “How may I help you? Are you here for supplies?”
“We are here about 5 Star Road.” She released his hand.
He immediately groaned. “At least once a month someone comes and asks about it but I’ve all but given up on it.”
“Well, we’re willing to take a shot at it if you’ll give us information on it.” She crossed her arms. “Or are you not interested in it any longer?”
“Oh, I very much want everything in that vault!” He proclaimed excitedly. “The issue is a blasted ghost. It won’t come out and it’s possessing the building. The quest is simple. Get me everything in the vault and the building is yours.”
Forala tilted her head. “Do we not have to remove the ghost?”
“If you get everything in the vault for me then you can burn down the building and use the lot if you want. I do not care anymore. All I want are the contents of the vault.” He nodded furiously trying not to stare straight ahead.
“Do you have any information on what happened to it and where we can start?” She leaned down to his level.
He smiled and stuttered out. “Well, miss Medot the story is rather simple the ghost is at 5 Star Road. Some groups tried to kill it and even Sea Salt Sam tried to break down the vault door but couldn’t dent it.”
“Wait if he can’t break it how do we get into the vault?” She asked genuinely curious.
“The vault has three keys. All three are lost SOMEWHERE in there I’m sure of it. The problem is even when groups find one key, they can’t ever find the others. The original intention was for me, my father, and my brother to open the door whenever we had to open or close it. When he passed my father left his key in the door leaving only our two keys. My brother passed a long time ago too. On the day things went wild and started flying around I lost my key and since then groups who go looking never find more than one key.” He shook his head disappointed hanging his shoulders down as though they were supported by a coat rack.
“What’s in the vault?” Victor intruded.
“That’s none of your business.” He answered reflexively before realizing he had gone too far. “Suffice to say plenty of gold but other items of a more personal nature.” The man whipped out a contract. “This contract states that if you provide me with the contents of the vault the deed immediately becomes yours.” Forala read over the short three-sentence contract with his signature already on it. “I pre-sign these because there are so many people who want to take this contract. It’s been up for years. Just fill in your guild name and sign. The quest is in the adventurer's guild, and I will need to pay a gold fee based on what is retrieved but only if you succeed due to the massive size of the contract.”
She looked over the contract and signed it. “We will return with your goods.”
He chuckled incredulously. “Good luck.”
The group departed for the old bank. Instead of walking Forala looked to Jenora and Serena. “Carry them. I don’t feel like waiting.” She took off at top speed.
Serena picked up Victor smirking. “Race you.”
Jenora groaned. “Oh, come on now that’s not even fair!”
Emilie leapt on her back. “I weigh a lot less than him! We’ve got this! SPEED BOOST!”
Jenora took off almost against her own will. “AHH!” She was not used to moving that fast in a city.
Serena ran Victor in her arms slowly creeping up on Jenora. "Speed boost.” They burst ahead of Jenora.
“Hey! I was doing it to keep the race fair!” Emilie protested.
Victor ran out of mana almost immediately with Serena only marginally ahead of Jenora. In short order, they arrived at Forala Pacing around the edge of the building Serena first then Jenora by only a few moments. “Awe common Victor you’re just no fun. She didn’t need any help.”
Serena laughed and gave Victor a quick kiss. “She might have won if not for my darling here.”
“Yeah yeah. Let’s get started.” Emilie groaned walking toward the shattered fence.
Forala started ripping boards off the front doors with one hand throwing them to the side. Forala turned to them. “For those who just arrived this is the only entrance. The windows are thin and barred.”
“I didn’t pay attention to just how tall this building is.” Victor looked up to the five-floor building.
“It’s huge,” Serena noted pointing to the roof. “The roof is still intact despite being so run down.”
Forala opened the door to a musty burst of air. Inside a five-floor building with documents on the floor everywhere and dust caking every service Forala coughed “Disgusting.” She stepped in and a chair leg immediately flew at her chest impacting pathetically. “Well, if that is all it can do searching this place will be easy but first, we should find the vault and see if I can rip it open.” The first floor dotted with desks and staircases led to the back with three doors locked.
Several more pieces of wood and office supplies assaulted her face. “Be gone…” The empty voice echoed from around the interior.
Victor raised one eyebrow. “He didn’t say anything about the ghost communicating.”
Emilie shook her head, “Barrier sphere. Let’s go.” The group proceeded into the giant bank. Their shoes left perfectly visible Imprints in the dust. Various junk constantly tapped against Emilie’s barrier as she chuckled. “Good grief this ghost is going to be annoying isn’t it.”
“YOU’RE ANNOYING!” The voice reverberated through the entire bank as a desk flew toward the barrier breaking it.
Forala caught it with one hand. “Enough of these childish tactics, show yourself.”
Paper rushed around them as Emilie recast “Barrier shield.”
Forala stepped outside it as she cast it. “I will find the vault.”
Victor noted. “It’s probably at the back or if there is a basement in the basement.”
“Wait here.” She disappeared ahead of them creating a tunnel of documents behind her.
“BE GONE!” The voice more aggressively began throwing objects as Forala tore a door at the back off its hinges. She could be heard descending steps with a gust of dust behind her. “DO NOT GO DOWN THERE!” A loud reverberation like a gong sounding rang out through the building. “LEAVE THAT ALONE!” Gong after gong speeding up farther and faster echoing against the walls until finally it stopped abruptly.
Forala returned incredibly quickly with bloody knuckles. “I am unable to break the door open. I dented it but it popped back out.”
“Sealing steel.” Jenora shook her head. “If you can’t break it in a couple of seconds you can’t ever break it. That must have cost a fortune to build. Now it makes sense why people haven’t just taken a mage and an acid spell over weeks or months.”
“NOW YOU SEE YOU’LL NEVER ENTER THE VAULT! BE GONE!” The voice echoed around them
Cawthorn replied. “BE GONE EVIL SPIRIT! YOU’LL NEVER ENTER OUR BARRIER!”
Emilie burst out laughing almost dropping the barrier. “Cawthorn you’re the best and worst part about being in this group.”
“I AM THE BEST PART OF THIS GROUP!” Cawthorn proclaimed.
“STOP MOCKING ME!” The voice angrily shook the dust.
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“I AM NOT A MOCKINGBIRD!” Cawthorn raged back.
Victor tapped Cawthorn’s head. “What do you want?”
“I want you to BE GONE!” The doors flung open, and paper rushed toward it.
“We aren’t going anywhere. Don’t ghost like yourself normally stay behind because they have unfinished business?” Victor asked.
Emilie scoffed. “No. What are you talking about.”
Jenora whispered too loud to Emilie “I think he’s lost it.”
Serena looked at him strangely. “Did you read that in a book somewhere?”
Forala tilted her head. “What are you talking about?”
Swordie commented. “How astute to come to that conclusion from media you consumed long ago. Perhaps you are slightly more competent and less foolish than anticipated.”
Victor sighed. “Could you not undermine me in front of the spirit Swordie?”
Swordie chuckled. “I could but I won’t.”
Cawthorn proclaimed. “TELL US YOUR UNFINISHED BUSINESS!”
“BE GONE!” It repeated.
“Please everyone calm down. Can you all leave for a moment? Please? I promise if he attacks me, I’ll leave he’s just angry we are here.” Victor asked them all.
“He’ll try to kill you! All undead are the same, Victor. You’ve been so good about listening to the smartest party member don’t stop now.” Emilie pleaded.
“I AGREE HE ALWAYS LISTENS TO ME!” Cawthorn added.
“Truly both the best and worst party member.” Emilie glared.
“THE BEST STAR OF VERDAN!” Cawthorn proclaimed.
“Could you all please leave and stop antagonizing him?” Victor asked.
Forala looked deep into Victor’s eyes. “Everyone out. If you call for me, I will rip apart the building to reach you.”
“Seriously! It’s a ghost or a spirit! They’re going to attack him. Everyone knows that.” Emilie protested as Forala pushed them out.
“If he gets hurt, I’m holding you responsible.” Serena walked out pointing to Forala.
Victor sat down on the dusty ground and crossed his legs only for an ink pot to hit his nose.
-4 Health
Bleeding: -2 health for every minute of movement. Duration 1 minute.
“If you want me to leave, I will go but it’s pretty clear you throw more stuff at people as they get closer to what you care about. Could you at least tell me your name?” Victor asked. A piece of paper blew into his face. He pulled it off his face reading it aloud. “Your name is Jim Farson? Is that true?”
The voice went quiet, and the papers stopped moving. “Yes. It is. I’ve been here for years, and no one has bothered to even ask.”
“Well, I asked, and I have another question for you if you are feeling inclined to answer. What do you want?” Victor waited for a minute, then another, before finally, a paper flew to his face with a single word written in massive stained black ink. “Revenge?”
“Someone murdered me. They stabbed me in the back. It happened in an alleyway not far from here by an old rundown tavern.” The spirit cried angrily. “My killer was never captured OR EVEN IDENTIFIED!” Air rushed by Victor filled with fury, but no objects came close to him.
“I guess in a world where people can simply blast ghosts with fire or lightning exorcizing them doesn’t make much sense. Typically ghosts exist because they have unfinished business in the living world. I guess finding your killer and bringing him to justice is your unfinished business.” Victor paused to the angry blasts of wind which once again did not hit him.
The voice became clearer directly ahead of him by the counter at the end of the room. “Do you know anything about your murder or who might want to kill you?”
“Freedman…” The voice growled.
“Did they blast you with magic? Stab you? What?” Victor continued curious.
“Unfortunately, it was almost instant I do not know how I died.” The voice answered angrily.
“You think it was Freedman or his guild? Why?” Victor leaned forward.
“Freedman moved into this town with his guild about 10 years ago. He slowly strangled my bank out of the market and many others, but I wouldn’t leave. The guild itself might have done it on his behalf, but I think they are responsible for it.” The voice seemed almost calmer discussing it with him. “With me dead my brother would have no choice but to either run this bank on his own, which he was never good at or to sell out to Freedman’s Guild.”
“So, I just want to clarify and don’t take this the wrong way. Would they benefit from killing you? It seems like you’re saying the guild was already winning economically so what motive do they have to resort to murder?” Victor tried to ask in as calm a tone as possible.
“He was winning in the pocketbook, but he was losing the hearts of the city. I was leading the charge against him to the mayor to get the guild kicked out of town! If I had just a few more years I might have been able to get them out.” The ghost proclaimed sure of itself.
“I will investigate them, is there anyone else?” Victor continued.
“No one comes to mind. Our father died long before this and left the bank to both of us. Before that, our mother died from a disease.” The voice explained with a slight melancholy in the air.
“Did you have a wife or children? Anyone the estate would be left to?” Victor asked in a quiet confirming tone.
“No wife, no children. My job was my life. This city my people, and that guild TOOK IT AWAY!” Another burst of air and papers flattened against the wall behind him.
“I will do what I can to avenge you and bring justice to your killer. Will you do something for me if I accomplish that?” Victor tilted his head.
He aggressively demanded the answer to a question. “What is it you want?”
“What is in the vault, and where are the keys to it?” Victor leaned forward putting his head in his hand.
“The vault no longer contains any gold or at least very little of it. It contains my grandfather's armor, documents, and my grandfather's axe.” The voice said coolly.
“Your brother wants to recover them. Do you know where the keys are?” Victor leaned further forward.
“Yes. I will gather them in front of the vault. If you try to reach them without resolving my murder, I will shatter them into a thousand pieces.” The air chilled as the voice added that.
“If we return here and need to investigate, will you cooperate?” Victor held out his hand.
“If you do not attempt to cheat me out of my revenge, I will do anything to aid you.” Those words hung in the air like the dust filtering around him.
“One last question. If it isn’t someone in Freedman’s Guild does everything, we talked about still apply?” Victor inquired.
“FREEDMAN’S GUILD IS RESPONSIBLE!” The air became heavy and angry before dying down. “If however, my murderer is not of that guild and was instead hired by them, intimidated by them, or tricked by them I accept that and your deal with me will be fulfilled. If he is not of that guild or associated with them in some way, bring him to me.” The voice echoed filled with malice as creepy laughter. The doors flung open as the wind started to push him out of the building. Outside the four girls watched with great concern.
Forala darted in and grabbed him around the waist leaving as fast as she came. Emilie shook her head. “See it attacked him!”
“I’d hardly call that an attack.” Victor glared.
“I’d hardly call that correct,” Swordie added.
“THE ANGEL AGREES TOO!” Emilie proclaimed justified in her irritation.
Cawthorn cawed angrily. “MY MAGE IS BLEEDING!”
“It stopped bleeding.” Victor protested.
“MY MAGE WAS BLEEDING! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! BURN THIS ACCURSED UNDEAD TO THE GROUND!” Cawthorn threw his wings up in roaring anger.
“Truly the best and worst of this party.” Emilie smiled nodding furiously. “We should just burn it down.”
Forala put a hand up stepping between them. “What did you learn?”
“He was killed in an alley nearby outside a tavern. It was instant death. He thinks that The Freedman’s Guild was responsible but doesn’t know who within it would have done it. If we figure out who did it he will give us the keys to the vault.” Victor smiled and looked at all of them. “I know it is an old case, but I bet we can solve it which would get rid of the ghost, and we could have a real guild hall massively outside our price range if we are just willing to try.”
Forala paused scratching her cheek. Emilie turned to her. “You can’t possibly be thinking this will work. A ghost doesn’t just leave the place it haunts because you figured out who killed it!”
Forala snatched Swordie and opened him. “Swordie. If we perform this task will the ghost disappear?”
“Foolish though the task may be given that you must trust the ghost to provide the keys it would disappear provided you brought to justice his killer.” Swordie agreed with Victor.
“Why does this party seem so hell-bent on being considerate to UNDEAD!” Emilie stomped her foot and tried to stop panting in anger.
Jenora put her hand on Emilie’s shoulder. “If we solve this the undead will be vanquished though. Just think of it as an undead no one can vanquish without meeting specific conditions.”
She crossed her arms calming down. “Fine.”
Forala handed back Swordie. “I will not be very useful here. I wouldn’t even know how to assist. Instead, I will take a quest from the quest board in the center of town and defeat some low-level creatures to provide us with more seed money. One week from now if we haven’t achieved this goal, I expect us to shift to making enough gold to afford that terrible tavern. This guild hall would require furnishings and cleaning but would make us a real guild. You have one week. I will be back here in 7 days, and I expect you to have it solved.” Forala looked to the rest of them. “Do what you can. I want this building.” She vanished from their eyes with only Serena tracing the path she took with her eyes.
Serena draped her arm around Victor. “Well, I guess it’s time to investigate. Where to oh fearless leader?”
“Freedman’s Guild this case will be solved by research and people.” Victor smiled ready to start investigating.
Emilie slapped her head. “Now we’re detectives.”