Session 22 - Chapter 4 - The Funeral Pact

Hello & Welcome!

Still in shock from the Undead onslaught, Dafnae, Pipp, and Torsion stood over Chard's dead body.

Torsion fell to his knees and began to beseech Selune for help and guidance, his prayers growing louder and more desperate, almost angry, with each utterance.

The adrenaline wearing off, Pipp suddenly felt overwhelmed by emotion and similarly slumped down and began to sob., shoulders shuddering, palms in her face.

Dafnae hid her welling eyes behind her hood and fought back the tears. Her early childhood tragedies and Elvish nature taught her well to hide her true emotions. Letting others see ones emotions was a weakness and weaknesses gave others advantage. She instead busied herself with tying up the horses. It would be adding insult to injury if after all this trouble they also failed to return with the runaway horses.

Horses collected, she quietly led them over to her grieving friends, laying a hand on each of their shoulders and softly said to them "Come, let's take him back to the camp". 

Pipp slowly stopped crying, wiped her face, and slowly stood and looked up at Dafnae's face. She could see the thinnest of cracks in her demeanour and it calmed her a little. She took her hand and between sniffs said "Yes, we cannot leave our friend here."

Rising with a loud roar, Torsion looked at his two friends and grunted "Aye, let's leave this damned place." 

They worked together to life Chard's limp body onto one of the horses and to tie him securely with the ropes they had. They looked through the debris and remains left over from the defeated Undead Horde but they found nothing of value - just dust, bones, rotting flesh and damaged weapons. 

The walk back was in silence, the horses also acting solemn, feeling the energy from those leading them. When they reached the camp, the night watch greeted them happy to first see the horses returned but then were surprised to see Chard tied to one of the horses. They asked if he was ok. Torsion grumbled a curt "No, he isn't" and glared at the soldier asking the question. Seeing the soldier be taken aback, she further clarified, "Sadly Chard fell on the battlefield." The party moved past the stunned guard and made their way into the centre of the camp.

Hearing the commotion, the rest of the camp arose and moved to meet the returners and a murmur grew discussing the news. The party asked around with the Merchants to see if any of them would be willing to carry his body until they would be able to reach the next major town in the hopes of finding a healer to revive him. The Merchants all reluctantly declined saying there isn't much room and no one really wanted to take on the burden. It was Tajit who softly but clearly expressed her regret that it would not be possible to carry him along as they were not even half way to Waterdeep yet.

The Heroes were expecting this. It was a lot to ask but they had to try. It was a bad omen to transport the dead. So they begrudgingly agreed that the only recourse was to give him a proper burial.

Still fuelled by intense emotion, they set out to dig his grave that evening. There would be no way that they could sleep and the rest of the guards agreed that they would double up the shifts so that the three of them would not need to take a watch. So the three grabbed shovels and moved out of the camp towards the ruins to find a suitable place in the shadow of Dragonspear Castle. Given the nature of their quest, it would seem a fitting final resting place for their friend.

And so they dug and moved earth and collected stones. They worked until the late hours of the morning to give their friend a suitable burial location. When the hole was deep enough they laid him in the hole and started to pile stones on top of him. Pipp placed two Silver pieces on his eyes as was customary. Torsion busied himself finding a suitable slab to function as his gravestone. When he managed to find one, he carved "Chard Morthos - Brave Hero Fallen in Battle" and placed it at his head. Before the last stone was placed to cover his body, Torsion knelt down again by his friend, touching his lifeless hand, and cast Gentle Repose. If he could not revive him, then at least he could stave off the decay for a tenday. It was the least he could do for his friend.

As the sun started to rise, others began to arrive at the burial site. It was a cool morning, the mists rolling off the cliffs, creating a sort of extended burial shroud over the area. The only sounds were the occasional coughs and shuffling of feet. No one wanted to break the silence. But it was Pipp who finally broke the heavy silence by starting to quietly play a melancholic funeral song on her fiddle. 

Torsion cleared his throat, wiped soot and dirt from his face and chest, and began over the soft tones. "It is with a heavy heart we lay our friend and hero Chard Morthos to rest. He was not yet finished with his work, but we will all carry on for him in his stead." Torsion felt emotion welling up in his throat and he struggled as he continued, "He showed us repeatedly how brave and selfless he was as he tried to protect those around him." Torsion found it difficult to continue, holding back tears. 

Dafnae continued, "Let us remember him not as a fallen Hero but rather as a brave Hero who fought valiantly." And she began to recount the events one by one that had befallen them on this journey so far and the exploits that Chard had done. After each one, there were cheers, very subdued at first, but as Dafnae continued, they became louder and stronger each time. Pipp slowly began to play louder. Torsion regained composure and joined in the cheers.

In the end, it was a nice service to remember him. The others left to complete the final preparations for departing soon. The three stood there one final time with Chard. They asked each other how much they really knew about him. They didn't know if his family was still alive in order to notify them. Dafnae would need to inquire if they made it back to Baldur's Gate alive. They discussed how he had been studying the books on the Nine Hells during the journey, not knowing why - perhaps it was to help him understand his heritage. They also admitted to each other that they had not really understood where his new Glaive had come from and his ability to use the Eldritch Blast. Tieflings were a bit of a mystery so they just naively assumed it was due to some trait of him being one, but they were not sure. And now those mysteries would be buried with him.

They said their final farewells and returned to the Caravan and prepared to depart.

---

The Caravan departed and rumbled along in silence. The journey continued without incident for several days. The three Heroes decided they would redouble their efforts to learn what they could about the Cultists travelling with them. And so they decided through the next several evenings to try to learn more about the guards on their duty, Dafnae of course taking Chard's slot.

Over the evenings, they casually chatted with the other Guards on their duty. The loss of Chard fortunately gave them some way to break the ice as it were and approach the subject of everyone's background. Generally the background were similar - people trying to make a living or see the world. But there were a few who gave them reason to explore further. They would take a closer look at them in the days ahead.

---

The familiar voice called to him again "Chard Morthos." Chard looked up and say Bel standing over him. Chard replied, "So, this is it, my time to complete my task is over?"

Bel breathed deeply and replied in his deep voice "No, but your death brings a certain, complication, that we must now address."

Chard looked about himself and he saw a large forge in the distance, a dense, black plume of snoke rising from it, flames raging. Around him he saw colossal sized anvils with equally sized Giants pounding away with hammers. The cacophony of hammers pounding metal on metal began to ring in his ears. He asked what this place was.

"This, Chard Morthos, is our Forge. Here were craft our equipment to fight the Demons in the never ending war. Surely you know if it?"

Indeed, Chard and read about the ancient war raging between Devils and Demons which had lasted for centuries. "Is the Glaive you gave me from here?" he asked.

"Yes." was the reply. Bel continued, "You must complete your task. It is vital that the Cultists not be successful in releasing Tiamat from her prison here in Avernus."   

"The visions, these came from you and they show the threat of Tiamat?"

"Yes." Bel replied in his deep, booming voice. "You know Azariel is scheming and she aims to disrupt much. She must be stopped."

"How if I am here? How can I complete the Pact?"

"Yes ... This we must addressed." Bel lead Chard through the Forge, the smoke and ash becoming more and more dense as they go closer to the furnace, the acrid burn getting stronger in the back of his throat. "We must amend your Contract. I can have a way to return you to the Mortal Plane, but it will not be easy and we need some time to arrange it, but it can be done." 

Bel raised his hand and in a flash of fire a scroll appeared. He continued "This will be the new terms of your Contract. Chard Morthos, your new additional task will be provide me souls for this Battle against the Demons. You will be charged with not staying your blade when confronted with those that would free Tiamat and serve Azariel and instead send their souls to me where they will join our ranks against the Demons. If you fail, then your soul will be forfeit and you will serve me as a Lemure here in the Forge for all of eternity. 

Chard looked and saw these damned creatures running around, carrying raw materials between the giant anvils. He thought to himself, "Ok, I can kill a few more Cultists, no problem. We should have killed that Dave and we saw what that got us when we didn't." 

"Yes, I accept the new terms." Chard looked around the area and boldly asked "May I ask for some Armour to go with the Glaive?"

Bel stopped mid stride and glared his burning eyes at Chard. "Chard Morthos, your boldness surprises me." He contemplated for a moment and then continued, "Yes, then let it be done." He waved his other hand and some flames licked the scroll and he handed it to Chard. "Now read it Chard Morthos and sight the Contract."

Chard took the scroll, read it, then, after thinking briefly, nicked his finger on his horn, and signed it in blood. The scroll then vanished in a blaze of fire.

"Good, Chard Morthos. This Contract is now bound to your soul. You will have it with you always. Do not forget the terms and do not fail in your quest. It will take a little time to arrange your return to your body, so in the meantime, remain here in the Forge, out of sight. We will come for you when it is time to return." And with that, Bel turned and left.

Watching Bel leave, Chard stood, reading and re-reading the new contract in his hands wondering how his friends were getting on ...