Lair of the Cryptmother

Althea Amberhearth sat at her usual spot in the Black Crab tavern. At the corner, near the small door that leads to the dark alleyway. Several people went in and out of the main door at the far end of the building. Waitresses are busy walking around bringing foods to the tables and taking away empty plates. Few windows and a scarcity of candles meant the establishment rarely rose above dim light. Probably so that the customer base would fail to notice the numerous stains littering the wood floor. A shame the lighting did little to stymie the stench, as the sickly sweet scent of old ale, the smell of vaporized grease from the kitchen and a hint of strong but familiar reek from alleyway trickled into the young woman's nose. She idly tucked loose, blonde strings from her forehead back into her silk headscarf and glanced back toward the wooden door. Still no sign of her traveling companions. Looking down at the table, she slowly pushed the cup of cloudy water and empty plates away from her, pull out her leather canteen and took a small sip. She just finished her lamb chop and salad a few minutes ago. The Black Crab was a place better suited to meeting contacts rather than dining or drinking, although the food are somewhat fine. Althea cast furtive glances about the pub, noting the numerous individuals bearing black leather armor and heavy scars. Indeed, not her usual crowd, but thankfully no one had bothered her since she arrived. Althea plucked her small prayerbook from her pouch and flipped to the silk string bookmark.

"Helestria, light of life and mother of hope, guide my path on the journey ahead. May my journey be fruitful and my bounty plenty," she recited, closing her eyes in sober thought. The church set her upon a most unsettling quest. Tasked with recovering an artifact from an abandoned shrine of Helestria, Althea was to inquire about the shrine in the adjacent village of Sapila. Supposedly the people there had become increasingly isolationist over the past few years, but rumor got out that they possessed a holy relic. Now it was Althea's duty to determine whether or not these claims held water.

She heard the tavern door creak open at last and, looking back, Althea waved to the newcomers. At last her adventuring party arrived.