Chapter 316. Whispers from Below
With their business in Cerrigar settled, the party returned to the Dungeon where the Cursed Shrine event had just played out.
Seeing how no other monsters decided to come and prepare an ambush while they waited for the Wanderers to jump back in from their portals made Michael wonder if there was an unwritten rule among the devils controlling these Dungeons and the Sanctuary as to not attack 'players' when they are with their pants down.
Posing the same question to the three girls and getting shrugs in return, the Necromancer contacted Helen to ask the same thing.
[Why do monsters not attack when you use portals? Well... first off, these portals any Wanderer can use to travel from inside the Dungeon to a nearby city were just added, so many things are still uncertain.](Helen)
"Ugh... right."
[But also, don't you usually check your surroundings before using the teleportation portal? Furthermore, would you die in one hit if Minion-level monsters swarm you after you come back through it and they are surrounding you?](Helen)
"Not really. All I have to do is use my Blood Mist and create some distance."
[Exactly. All Wanderers have their own invulnerability skills. And if you get hit a couple of times, all you have to do is drink some Healing Potion to recover. Then, you're back to clearing the Dungeon.](Helen)
Cutting the connection after saying goodbye, Michael agreed with the tigress but still felt something was missing.
He decided to experiment a bit with the Dungeon portals when he was solo.
In the meantime, the girls had already opened the reward chest they got and began splitting the loot.
The Necromancer's share was 1 Rare item box, 7 Bundled Herbs, Iron Chunks, and Rawhides each, 5 Angelbreaths, 2 Veiled Crystals, and 15 Murmuring Obols.
Continuing on their way forward, the Dungeon Quest changed to something more... destructive.
[ Dungeon Quest update - Flooded Depths
Objective: Destroy the Drowned Bells. ]
It should be worth mentioning that these bells were over three meters tall, and the arch they were placed in was incredibly tall and intricately decorated with lots of strange inscriptions and sculpted descriptions of some odd creatures.
Michael didn't bother asking himself how they came into being since it was probably something the devil overseeing this Dungeon created. Still, the Necromancer had to give him/her their props since the creativity was through the roof.
Tia and Evelyn were not impressed, though. They promptly started smashing these bells to pieces while Michael and Neyrelle took care of the large number of drowned protecting them.
In their search for the next objective, the party stumbled upon one of the least dangerous Events: a Cursed Chest.
After letting the girls gang up on the poor Skeleton Elite protecting his treasure, the group split their gains.
"3 Rare item boxes and a Legendary per person. Not bad."
[What type did you get?](Neyrelle)
[I got a pair of boots. They are pretty good but I might have to change the Aspect on them.](Tia)
[Gloves. Mine are better.](Evelyn)
[I got an amulet. It's much better than what I have, and even the Aspect is incredible. I got super lucky this time!](Neyrelle)
Seeing three pairs of eyes turn to him, he showed them his newly acquired wand and the specs of his currently equipped weapon.
[ Blighted Sacrificial Sickle
Legendary Scythe
583 Item Power
-----------------
500 Damage per Second
* [364 - 546] Damage per Hit
* 1.10 Attacks per Second
* +24 Life on Kill
------------------
* +15% Damage
* +50 Intelligence
* +23.0% Vulnerable Damage
^+41.5% Shadow Damage Over Time
Legendary Aspect: You deal 96% increased damage for 6 seconds after the Shadowblight Key Passive damages enemies 10 times. (Necromancer Only).
+8% Damage Over Time (Amethyst Slotted) ]
[ Rattling Bones of Frenzied Dead
Legendary Wand
583 Item Power
-----------------
500 Damage per Second
* [334 - 500] Damage per Hit
* 1.20 Attacks per Second
* +6.0% Lucky Hit Chance
------------------
* +105 Maximum Life
* +46 Intelligence
* +36.0% Damage Over Time
Legendary Aspect: Each time one of your Summoning Minions damages an enemy, they gain 13% Attack Speed for 3 seconds, up to 36% (Necromancer Only).
Empty Socket ]
[This wand is pretty good, right?](Neyrelle)
"Yes. If, instead of the Maximum Life Affix, I had gotten a general Damage increase, I would've swapped to it immediately. After all, I could've added another Affix that increases my overall damage through Tempering once we return to a major city with a blacksmith."
[What about the Aspect?](Evelyn)
"It's pretty decent, but it depends on the upgrade I'll do tomorrow. If the damage of my minions increases tremendously, it would only make sense for my Aspects to change around them."
[There! I see the final Drowned Bell!](Tia)
Surprisingly or not, the group didn't have to face a Boss after the three Drowned Bells were destroyed and instead completed the Dungeon.
Either the devil who created this place or the Sanctuary was nice enough to offer the party a portal that took them out of the Dungeon, much to everyone's surprise.
After asking the girls to wait until he checked where the portal led, the Necromancer stepped through it and found himself in front of the Dungeon entrance in the large clearing where they had previously killed the Naga witch.
Using the Ring of Communication to let them know it was safe, Michael looked at the time and saw it was already 9:02 p.m.
"The sun has already set, and it's getting increasingly dark. What do you want to do? Do we continue or not?"
[Continue! We still have more Altars to collect.](Tia)
[Yes, yes! It's not that late yet.](Evelyn)
[I agree. We should at least open the new Waypoint we saw on the MAP and maybe accept the Side Quests in that area.](Neyrelle)
With the majority deciding to continue their adventure, Michael gestured for their human GPS to set their course.
Their 24th objective was directly south of their location, probably about an hour on horseback.
They would also pass by a Dungeon on their way.
[ Dungeon: Calibel's Mine (Level 55)
Description: The bandits that took this mine are ignorant of its secrets. ]
The girls' excitement was immediately dialed down by the Necromancer, who vetoed their request to clear and explore the 'secrets' mentioned in the description, even if he was also curious about them.
After pacifying them and promising to bring them later to clear all Dungeons in Scosglen - since he also had to do that for Region Progress - they continued on their way to the Old Mine Works, where after getting rid of some undead, they located Lilith's Altar.
Things got a bit more complicated after Neyrelle realized they were very close to the Whispers from Below Side Quest, so she decided on behalf of the group to grab it first.
As for Michael, accepting a Quest in the middle of nowhere during nighttime... it wasn't exactly his cup of tea. However, this time, he couldn't provide the trio with proper argumentation as to why they shouldn't accept it, so he ended up succumbing to their whims.
To the party's surprise, they found a small village once they closed in on the Quest marker, prompting the Necromancer and Neyrelle to exchange looks.
Seeing the girl shake her head, he understood that there were no druidic runes or others of any kind protecting this village. Yet, for some reason, it wasn't demolished by the monsters in the Wilderness.
[I don't understand... this is too sudden.](?)
Hearing an almost sobbing voice, the group zeroed in on a woman kneeling in front of two small children.
Judging from the unmoving chests of the two younglings, they were probably dead.
Dismounting, he gestured for the other three to follow closely behind as he approached the grieving woman.
"Excuse me. We are a group of Wanderers passing by. Do you mind telling us what happened here?"
[I... This doesn't make any sense... I checked on them a few days ago. I am Roina. These are Cecil's grandchildren. They --](Roina)
The woman stood up with a heartbroken look, her eyes not moving from the bodies of the two children.
[Please help me check around. Cecil wouldn't have left them alone... he wouldn't have let this happen.](Roina)
Nodding in acceptance, the five people split and began inspecting the surroundings.
[ Side Quest issued - Whispers from Below
Objective: Investigate the bodies of Callum and Devlin
Description: You met Roina, a local hunter, near a house east of Marowen. Beside her are the bodies of two young boys - each soaked with rot.
Something is wrong here. You should investigate. ]
Offering his condolences, Michael approached the children as the other four people began looking around the house.
[ Corpses of Callum and Devlin
Two young boys. Their bodies are bloated with water as if they drowned. But they are too far from any water body. ]
Acknowledging the strange tidbit, the Necromancer called Roina over and pointed it out to her.
Judging by the strange look on her face, there might be something more she knew about this.
[We need to find Cecil. Let's check along the river.](Roina)
[ Side Quest update - Whispers from Below
Objective: Search for Cecil with Roina
Description: You investigated the two dead boys. Their bodies are bloated with water as if drowned.
Roina believes Cecil, their grandfather, is likely in danger as well. You should search the river for any sign of his disappearance. ]
Brows furrowed, Michael remembered a ghost story from Earth mentioning a mother who drowned her children, forever cursed to haunt the lands ever since.
She would target children, but adults weren't exempt from her fury either if they got in the way.
'But how the hell does La Llorona fit in the Sanctuary? I mean... there are plenty of drowned zombies, and there was also the mention of something lurking in the deep and bringing out those Drowned Idols. And from sailor tales back on Earth, the mermaids are the only type of monster capable of luring people to drown. At least in the Western lore, that is...'
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he warned the three girls to stick close to him and checked the MAP for the marked area.
It wasn't very far, but it wasn't close either.
Since the situation was slightly creepy, Michael decided to walk on foot, even if that meant the grandpa might die as a result.
He couldn't risk his and the girls' lives if this was more than they could handle.
About fifteen minutes later, they heard someone whispering as they approached a shallow river.
On its bank, an older man stood crouched over the water, his hand caressing the air as if he saw a lover.
[Eader... Eadar, I can hear you...](?)
[Cecil! Get away from her!](Roina)
The Necromancer got goosebumps all over his body as he saw Roina lunging at the man as if she saw whoever he was talking to.
As for him and the trio, the man was simply talking to his reflection in the water.
This area, called Carrowcrest Trail, was brightly illuminated by moonlight, confirming Michael's suspicions about some sort of ghostly being messing with the locals.
When he activated his energy vision and looked around, nothing was out of place except for the river.
Seeing a mass of energy approaching Cecil, who was still hunched over the water, he quickly called out to Roina, who was nearby.
"Look out! Something's coming from the water!"
[What!? Cecil...!?](Roina)
Before she could do anything, the man was dragged into the ankle-deep stream and vanished as if he never existed in the first place.
Furthermore, through his energy vision, Michael saw both the 'ghost' and Cecil disappear.
It made zero sense since there wasn't enough water depth to be dragged in to begin with.
[It's already started...](Roina)
Mentally cursing the woman talking in riddles, the Necromancer approached her to ask for more details.
If she refused to tell them everything, he would take the trio and fuck off.
[ Side Quest update - Whispers from Below
Objective: Speak with Roina
Description: You and Roina found Cecil by the river's edge only to see him taken by some creature from the murk.
You should speak with Roina and see if she recognizes this fiend. ]
'Judging by the Quest's description, she knows the creature. Let's see if she's willing to speak.'
"What was that creature that took Cecil?"
[*Sigh* A wight. Something that's haunted the coast for generations. It uses the weak to prey on the rest of us. I haven't seen one since... well. *Sigh* That doesn't matter. I knew this day was coming. If you mean to help me, meet me at the Abandoned Coast. I could use your help.](Roina)
Rolling his eyes, Michael felt like leaving.
However, judging from the three girls' excited looks, it didn't seem possible. The Necromancer couldn't understand how this trio was so into the Quest after seeing a man murdered and spirited away.
[ Side Quest complete - Whispers from Below
Reward 1: 17,776 experience points
Reward 2: 2,280 gold coins
Reward 3: Salvage Cache. ]
Seeing the Salvage Cache after the group failed to 'salvage' Cecil, Michael's eyebrows twitched, trying hard not to scowl at the Sanctuary's dark humor.
Furthermore, the system utterly denied their choice of accepting the next Quest, as it was automatically accepted.