A Haunting Find

[Veldrin]

Veldrin fiddled with a cluttered key ring as she stood before the door of the militia stores. The old stores, the one in the Barracks. As the new stores now held most of the supplies for the militia, she found herself obligated to move some of the uniforms from the Barracks to the new stores. A life of adventure indeed. Reviewing reports and moving equipment. An incoherent complaint slipped past Veldrin's pursed lips, while the key ring gave a metallic rattle as she grasped the correct key.

Sliding the key into the lock, she pushed open the door, and sauntered into the small, cluttered room. She gave a disappointed sigh and folded her arms, looking up at the wall of wooden chests. All of which required a key on the all-too-heavy clump of metal in her hands. No, this was not happening. A recruit can do this blasted work. Veldrin muttered a curse as she looked down and shook her head.

A glint of something caught her eye, under one of the tables that supported a dyeing tub. A buckle? Some sort of small leather pack. Not a bag she had seen before. She unfolded her arms and moved toward the table, carefully stepping over a few small boxes and pile of iron ingots. Kneeling down, she squinted to examine the bag.

A cold breath brushed across her cheek.

"AUGH!" Veldrin cried, jumping back and hitting her back against the wall of chests. Instantly she reached out with an open hand. "Kal Vas--!"

She stared at the empty spot. No one was there. Just a lifeless backpack under a table. She closed her palm and cancelled the fire spell, taking a breath and leaning forward again. Perhaps something was behind the boxes in front of the other tables. It created a sort of cranny where one could hide... anything.

Clenching her teeth, she moved forward and looked under the tables, into the small, dark recess. She narrowed her eyes. She could barely see it in the shadows. It was large and metal. She reached for it with one hand cautiously, and touched it. She instantly drew her hand back. It was ice cold. Grunting, she reached for it again, with more ambition. Grabbing a solid hold of the object, she pulled it out until the light. Her eyes widened.

It was a cauldron. Large, round, and black. Veldrin swallowed carefully, and studied the object. Why would the militia have a cauldron in its stores? And what... there were designs on the sides. Wicked drawings of battle scenes. A human battling a sword-wielding skeleton. There were more carvings. Veldrin turned the object. Pictures of humans being cooked alive in the cauldron. A picture of a skeleton also being cooked. A picture of a human stepping out of the cauldron, seemingly unharmed.

The object reeked of death and perversion. Some sort of evil. Veldrin stood up quickly, backing away from the object. She stumbled over a stray ingot and nearly tripped, but instead she backed into a wall. Why did the militia have this object? Was this... the deadites kept returning to Cove, killing peasants and demanding a cauldron.

There was no doubt in her mind that this was the cauldron they sought. But why did Cove have it?

*a note is pinned on the message board*

For all those who obtain keys to the militia store... there is something you should see.

Do not touch it.

- Corporal Veldrin Ni'harel