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Kuori nods, "Sometimes when your family doesn't choose you, you choose your family. He obviously cares for you beyond the cappacity of a bodyguard, I just wanted to give him the option to choose you over a family that as you admit, cares little for you." She lets Ruin wander off on his fools errand. "Alright, condition two. None of what you learn down there will be shared, sold, or otherwise acquired by Aria so long as your soul exist. If it does, we become enemies and all that it entails." She tears a piece of paper out of a journal, writes this down and says, "Sign it. In blood. Pressing your thumb into it will suffice." She takes a lantern from her pack. "And once we have your word, sworn before my God, we will do all we can to protect you from everything short of your own curiousty."

Irene still seemed confused by Kuori's condition but otherwise agrees. "Ah... Sure! I can make that promise. But uh, I think blood is a bit too much. I'd be happy to sign your document in ink or pencil, though." Irene would reach her sleeved hand into one of her pockets and pull out a well-worn sketching pencil.

Hearing the yeah's from Valac and Ilikan, Irene would press on. "If we all are mostly in agreement, then, I shall take you to where I last saw the goliath's body now."

As Ruin examines the carriage he determines it is not powered by magic. He notices it has some cleverly disguised smoke stacks near the roof but he has no idea how it propels itself forward. He recalls Irene calling it a whooshwagon and mentioning it was broken. Now that he is next to the wagon he can hear some banging sounds coming from within and someone grumbling inside in gnomish.

"You're right there Revenge!" Valac agreed matching Revenge's smirk before also turning to Ilikan and calling out, "This one's your lot to deal with! If she dies we'll kill ya!"

Irene would sign Kuori's paper with her sketching pencil and hand it back to her. "All right then, the body is not far from here. Mr. Roland, stay here with the Wooshwagon until Breezy has it repaired. If we are not back by then, return to the fort and wait for my return."

Roland looked like he was about to raise his voice again in protest, but instead just lets out a sigh. "As you wish, M'lady, but please remember, there are still some who care for your existence. Don't disappoint them."

Irene would nod at Mr. Roland and give him a small smile. "Don't worry, I wont succumb to death so easily." Irene puts her magic items back in her pockets but then pulls out a small obsidian horse figurine. After she speaks a magic word, it transforms into a full size steed. She then climbs upon her newly materialized mount and motions for the party to follow her.

It takes about 5 minutes of walking through field of bloated, stinking corpses but eventually Irene comes to a stop. She motions to a body lying on the ground. It is clear to the party it would have been difficult to find it without her help. As Kuori sets eyes upon it, there is no doubt in her mind. It is the body of her brother Gotham, though advanced almost ten years in age. In stark contrast to those around him, his body is in pristine condition, almost as if he had just been felled.

Irene would continue on sadly. "I am sorry for your loss. I know what it is like to have a loved one taken from you. If you want, I can have his body taken back to the fort for a proper burial at a different time. As I stated, Gentle Repose was cast upon him so he should be fine for some time. Otherwise, I'll give you whatever time you need."

Irene trots her obsidian horse some distance away to give the party some space to carry out whatever actions they desire, though she is not out of earshot if needed.

Ilikan had a good chuckle at Revenge's game of babysitting hot-potato, still nodding with a bit of grim amusement at the comments about Kuori when Valac's aside interrupted, making him toss his head back with a roar of laughter.

"Oh, that could be entertaining," not a hint of s**t talking to his voice- buy eyeing up the barbarian again with interest. "Almost a shame we won't get to try it."

He was ready to go, but they had another matter to attend to before seeking the ways down- and while there could still be reason why haste might matter to the underground goliath village they were seeking, if the former resident was wanting to take a bit of time aside he could hardly push to rush. Following the group to the body, he looked at it for a long moment before lowering his head briefly.

"" he said in giant, a small fragment of a funeral blessing he recalled from the Vaimei-Laga, before taking a few steps back to give the cleric her space.

Kuori approaches her brother, falling to her knees beside him as she mutters beneath her breath for a moment sniffles and says in Undercommon <"As you carried me, so I carry you, to the end."> She scoops her arms under him and lifts him. "I actually think taking him back to the fort may prove useful. I hadn't thought of it before, but Gotham was behind enemy lines. I can keep his soul with me for a little while longer until we see this through if we get the supplies that I need for the ritual. It would give us better odds once we pass Lightlost, and maybe even on the way there. Its been a few years and things change in the Underdark." She takes a few steps forward, "Plus we can see your guards back safely. We'll only lose an hour or so."

Hearing Kuori, Irene would trot back up to the party on her magical obsidian horse. "I can carry him back to the carriage on Nightingale. I have no time table on when Breezy will have the carriage up and running again but it shouldn't be too much longer."

((Ilikan, through his passive perceptions notices some tremors in the earth. They are faint at first, but he definitely feels they are getting stronger.))