"It is hard on me, but the professor was the type to say "Live on and kick death in his jolly sack," though I am cleaning up some of his words."
"He was a great teacher to many."
Speaking of him, the hour draws near. Perhaps we should head to the funeral?
Kendra:
"So it is"
A. Town Square
B. The Posting Poles
C. The Laughing Demon
D. Ravengro Town Hall
E. Temple of Pharasma
F. Ravengro General Store
G. Ravengro Forge
H. Jominda’s Apothecary
I. Ravengro Jail
J. The Silk Purse
K. The Outward Inn
L. The Unfurling Scroll
M. Council Member’s Home
N. The Lorrimor Place
O. Harrowstone Memorial
P. The Restlands
Q. Gibs Hephenus’s Shack
R. Harrowstone
You all walk to the temple and pick up his coffin and it's carted to the Restland gate where you all take your pallbearer duties
Janos takes his place, picking the front right side of the coffin. He turns back to glance at the others before picking it up.
Daniel will assume right rear position on the coffin, to softly call the cadence as nessecary so the carry is smooth and co-ordinated (he is unfortunately very familiar with this duty, coming from the worldwound.
Alkaid take the middle right.
Tina takes the Middle Left
Rhia Van der Geist takes the back left.
As the procession reaches the halfway point along the
Dreamwake, rounding a corner onto a path called the
Eversleep, they’ll see that the way ahead is blocked by a
group of a dozen surly looking locals.
Gibs:
“That’s far enough. We been talking, and we don’t want Lorrimor
buried in the Restlands. You can take him upriver and bury him
there if you want, but he ain’t goin’ in the ground here!”
Janos takes stock of the group of men, especially their leader. He waits for one of the others to answer the rude man.
Upon being halted, Daniel does as is usual on a last walk and commands ,Prepare to lower....Lower. As the coffin comes to rest gently on the ground Daniel responds to the speaker.
Please, Sir. Allow us to finish this last walk and lay the proffessor to rest in the cemetary proper. The.proffessor was a good man and whatever your issue with him, a body needs to be put to proper rest. The lady of graves will judge him far better than you or I.
Rhia steps forward, knowing that hher support of the casket would be the least missed.
"What would make sane men try to deny a man's final rest?"
The question seems not asked of the men but as if something greater was wpeaking through the willowy young woman, something infinitely old.
Aiding Daniel
in a calm polite and sincere voice
"This man deserves the same respect you give onto your family when they pass.
To forsake your neighbor, you forsake yourself."
the thugs down enough that they sullenly disperse,
shooting venomous glances at the you all and Kendra, but
leaving the cemetery nevertheless and allowing the
procession to continue.
Kendra:
"Thank you for helping me, in dealing with them."
"Who were they, Kendra? I thought your father made friends whereever he went." Janos gestures to the six pallbearers as an example. "It's surprising he would have enemies in his own town."
Kendra;
"The one that talked was Gibs Hephenus and Not everyone liked my father's work."
Let's not.let this delay us further. The professor deserves a Last Walk unmarred by those people.
Daniel moves to resume his place and when the others are ready, Prepare to lift....Lift.
What could the Professor have done to earn such disrespect? Janos understood mistreatment of strangers, but this was a man of their own town.
He slowly lifts the coffin in time with Daniel's commands.
Party, Ready.....Fore...Ward.
Daniel resumes the slow march to the grave site.
The funeral proceeds without any other problems.
Father Grimburrow gives a short sermon and Kendra recounts a few of her father’s more courageous and self-less moments.
"The professor was like a father to me for a time during my childhood at the temple, He taught me a good deal about various topics.
And helped the clergy in raising me while he was there."
I met the professor when he responded to a request from the Bishop-General of Mendev foran investigation into plagues of undead that were appearing in our rear lines and supply towns. Being clerics and Paladins of the Inheritor, we were eqipped to meet such challenges but were too pressed to investigate.
I was his guard. I assure he gave me plenty of reason to worry.
As much as a death pains the living, we must remember the man and his leagcy. How over the years he touched all our lives and made us better people. I am not here to answer a summons. I came to say goodbuy to a dear friend.
Janos stands up after Daniel takes his seat. He moves to the front of the crowd, hesitating for several moments before he begins to speak. When he finally does, though, it’s with a clear voice and with his head up.
”Professor Lorrimor was one of the finest men I have ever known. I never knew my own father, but if I could choose, I would have wanted him to be just like Petros. When he met me, I was a young orphan boy, outcast and abandoned by his village and in service to a harsh, but ultimately well-meaning mentor. The Professor didn’t pity me or coddle me, but he gave me the respect no one ever had before. He listened to me and discussed things with me like I was an adult, like I was an equal. Through him, I learned that I did have things to offer the world and that I was capable of more than I thought. Over the years he challenged me several times, but he also consulted with me, offering his opinions and taking my suggestions as well. He was a good friend, and I’ve come here to honor his memory and share his life. Thank you.”
"I did not know the Professor very well.
But did attend to some of his open public lectures.
I found him to be knowledgeable and good hearted as he spoke."
Rhia steps forward her expression one of sadness.
"The Professor was an amazing man. One whose interaction with my family has been long and continuous. When I first started coming to terms with my gift it was he who taught me not to think of it as a curse, to embrace the fact that I would always have the support of all who came before me and that the fight against the darkness of this land would never be a lonely one for me."
While she openly sheds tears, they are of loss rather than lament.
"We will all miss him dearly and all who met him have lost a great friend and mentor, but I for one wish him a good journey into the arms of the Lady of Graves."
|
Matrim looks to see if anyone else is going to step forward to speak. When he sees that no one else is going too he reluctantly steps forward and says, "The professor was a great man and I owe him my life. He found me during a low point in my life on the wrong path and stopped me from doning something I would have regretted for the rest of my life. He showed me there was more to life and set me on a different path. For this I owe him everything. You will be missed my friend." He reaches into his coat and pulls something out wrapped in a cloth and tosses it into the hole. He turns and walks back to the others and waits.
After the funeral is over and Kendra has said
her goodbyes to the other guests, she invites
the you all back to her home for a drink and to hear
his last will and testament. The Lorrimor residence
is a modest home (area N on the Ravengro map)
with crowded bookshelves in every room.
The reading of the professor’s will requires the
presence of Councilman Vashian Hearthmount,
and he has some other matters to
attend to after the funeral, so he doesn’t arrive for about
an hour.
Vashian arrives precisely on time, and is focusing
his entirely on the reading of Petros’s will.
Councilman Vashian produces a scroll case,
shows that the professor’s personal seal is unbroken, then
breaks the wax and opens the case. As he does, a small iron
key falls out of the tube, clattering noisily onto the table.
Undaunted by the key, the councilman begins to read,
eager to be done with the business and to get back home.
Councilman Vashian Hearthmount:
“I, Petros Lorrimor, being of sound mind, do hereby commit to this
parchment my last will and testament. Let it be known that, with
the exception of the specific details below, I leave my home and
personal belongings entire to my daughter Kendra. Use them or
sell them as you see fit, my child.
“Yet beyond the bequeathing of my personal effects, this
document must serve other needs. I have arranged for the reading
of this document to be delayed until all principals can be in
attendance, for I have more than mere inheritance to apportion. I
have two final favors to ask.
“To my old friends, I hate to impose upon you all, but there are
few others who are capable of appreciating the true significance of
what it is I have to ask. As some of you know, I have devoted many
of my studies to all manner of evil, that I might know the enemy and
inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge
of one’s enemy is the surest path to victory over its plans.
“And so, over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire
a significant collection of valuable but dangerous tomes, any one
of which in the wrong circumstances could have led to an awkward
legal situation. While the majority of these tomes remain safe under
lock and key at the Lepidstadt University, I fear that a few I have
borrowed remain in a trunk in my Ravengro home. While invaluable
for my work in life, in death, I would prefer not to burden my
daughter with the darker side of my profession, or worse still, the
danger of possessing these tomes herself. As such, I am entrusting
my chest of tomes to you, posthumously. I ask that you please deliver
the collection to my colleagues at the University of Lepidstadt, who
will put them to good use for the betterment of the cause.
“Yet before you leave for Lepidstadt, there is the matter of
another favor—please delay your journey one month and spend
that period of time here in Ravengro to ensure that my daughter is
safe and sound. She has no one to count on now that I am gone,
and if you would aid her in setting things in order for whatever she
desires over the course of this month, you would have my eternal
gratitude. From my savings, I have also willed to each of you a sum
of one hundred platinum coins. For safekeeping, I have left these
funds with Embreth Daramid, one of my most trusted friends in
Lepidstadt—she has been instructed to issue this payment upon
the safe delivery of the borrowed tomes no sooner than one month
after the date of the reading of this will.
“I, Petros Lorrimor, hereby sign this will in Ravengro on this
first day of Calistril, in the year _____.”
Janos sits in silence for several minutes after hearing the will. Books on evil? Or evil books? Or both maybe.
"It seems that we will be in Ravengro longer than we expected. I hope your father's wishes are agreeable, Kendra. I'll be happy to stay and help you with anything you need. I should send word to Alisia, however.
Seconded. I will remain, if you'll have me.
Rhia nods quietly, obviously thinking on the information contained in the books.
"I would be glad to stay and help you through this Kendra."she states as if it were never in question.
Kendra:
"I thank you, I am sure he would be proud of you."
"Kendra, do you know where your father's trunk is? We should make sure these books are safe. I don't know what could make them so dangerous that the Professor went to all of this, but it sounds like we should ensure nothing has happened to them already."
Councilman Vashian Hearthmount:
"Well my part in this is done, and have a good evening ladies and gentlemen."
he leaves through the front door.
Kendra:
She walks the Councilman to the door and thanks him for his time.
she then replies to Janos
"Oh yes I do know where it is."
she quickly finds the trunk and gets it into the room.
Daniel is quiet, pondering Is this what you were worrying about old man? Necromantic Volumes?
Rhia awaits Kendra revealing the books, studying their bindings and all manner of visual and metaphysical information, crossreferencing with her own extensive knowledge of the subject matter
Knowledge History
Knowledge Undead
Linguistics