#act 1 quest finally off the journal XD

[blackjackkent]

Weirdly, even though we agreed to look into the murder of Father Lorgan (and Hector even got an inspiration for it!), there is still nothing about it in the quest log. Hm. Hopefully this doesn't mean it's bugged out.

Chatted a bit with some of the other priests in the temple - two of them are arguing because one thinks Lorgan was stupid to trust the refugees and the other thinks it is their responsibility to help all.

Hector puts a word in on the side of compassion. [MONK] "To offer alms to all who need it - that is the sign of a noble soul."

This didn't do anything to resolve the argument, but we did get an inspiration from Shadowheart for siding with the open-minded priest.

Another interesting thing that the grumpy priest mentioned was that Duke Stelmane has also been murdered recently. This is interesting primarily because, according to the Emperor's story, he and Stelmane were business partners running the Knights of the Shield. Something to keep an ear to the ground about.

Headed back downstairs in the hope of finding more clues now that we've talked to Yannis. No real luck, but we did find Shirra's grave.

Without any prompting from me, the spirit then came out of the amulet and looked in the grave.

"Gone thou might be, alas!" the spirit wails. A long pause, and then....

"AND YET THY SHELL WILL RISE!"

The corpse lurches upward out of the grave, surrounded in the pale purple aura which marked the laughing spirit of the amulet.

"Oh, ho ho ho, honored Shirra!" it chortles maniacally. "Her spirit hath fled, and her body but merely a husk. Heh heh hee-hee-HEEEEE!"

It takes a moment to recover enough of itself to continue. "Swear, I did," it goes on gleefully, "to shed this foul mania and bestow it upon Shirra! She was to endure, to suffer, as was her god Ilmater's wont! Who now shall bear the madness Shar has wrought on me, so I might no longer suffer?"

The corpse's glowing eyes focus on Hector and its mouth twists in a horrifying impression of hilarity.

"He-ho-hoo-hahaHAHAHAHAHAHA! Shall it be THOU?!"

Hector has watched this unfold with considerable bafflement, but with the sudden pointed question, he snaps to wariness at once. He has already felt the influence of the monk's laughing curse once, and it was hard enough to fight off the first time.

"Careful, Hec," Karlach mutters in an undertone.

[ARCANA] Ponder what you know of the monk's affliction. What are the consequences of accepting it?

Narrator: The monk himself holds your answer. Tasha's Hideous Laughter is a powerful skill - but earning it may come at the cost of wisdom.

It's an unappealing prospect at best. Hector has not only seen the amulet's curse but has also witnessed Gale using Tasha's Hideous Laughter himself; he doesn't really want anything to do with what this spirit is offering. Then again, leaving Shirra's corpse to wander around giggling maniacally forever doesn't really seem appropriate either.

Nevertheless, the answer feels clear enough. "Gods, no," he says wearily. "I don't want to inherit your curse."

The corpse's laughter takes on a menacing air. "HA! HO! Hee-HEE! Well, if laugh I must, let our alliance end on a lark."

Every corpse in the immediate area immediately springs to life around them and charges at Hector without hesitation.