Arc 2: The Gate and The Bridge

The party reached the bottom of the pit, revealing a small lake that harbored the source of the dangerous melody: a rusalka, surrounded by a few dozen undead creatures bearing the same flowers that were on the ones that attacked the party at The Wayside Inn.

To avoid a battle, the group bargained with the rusalka: the agreement was that an essence of her captured in a vial would travel with them further into The Garden so that she could lead them to the source that has been polluting her waters: The Architect. Any deviations from the path to the corruption, loss of visibility from the party, or the destruction of the vial will immediately result in the partnership and all will incur the rusalka’s wrath.

The group had reached an area that the rusalka referred to as “The Gate“, a widened room where a number of undead and followers of Myrkul resided. Through passable disguises and deceptive words, the party talked their way into a better position with the Myrkulites before attacking, gaining the upper hand in a matter of seconds. There, the group found some loot, skeletons, and a secret letter.

Conversation between the two necromites

N1: “Why are we here?“
N2: “We are following orders given to us.“
N1: “Yes but we are stuck here guarding the gate and not at the meeting. Instead we guard him and that, with the reward being what? To become aberrations like the rest of them, or to end up as fertilizer?“
N2: “We listen because they can give us even more power.“
N1: “You know what, you are so right“

Letter

(found in a hidden compartment at “The Gate“)
→ “Hold the fort while we meet with the other groups to join forces. DO NOT entertain the Architect, he will infect you. The Gardener is nearing their ritual, stay away as well