Nicholai nods in assent.
"And lock your doors!" He adds (unnecessarily) to Alton as the short warrior makes his exit.
He turns his shining smile upon their guide.
"Lead on brother!"
While Pharris waits in her room, staring silently at the bare stone walls, and Alton goes to get a bit of sleep, the others rug up again against the cold, and trudge out through the falling snow once again. Snow blocks the church’s front doors, and Plutarch leads the way around to and through the covered cloister, to the side door that most of the monks seem to use. Light flickers in the church’s tall narrow windows, and the echoes of murmured prayer bounces from the cold stone walls.
The group is just about to enter the church when the quiet murmur of prayer and the patter of falling snow is broken by a loud scream coming from the direction of the dining hall building on the other side of the cloister.
While Pharris waits in her room, staring silently at the bare stone walls, and Alton goes to get a bit of sleep, the others rug up again against the cold, and trudge out through the falling snow once again. Snow blocks the church’s front doors, and Plutarch leads the way around to and through the covered cloister, to the side door that most of the monks seem to use. Light flickers in the church’s tall narrow windows, and the echoes of murmured prayer bounces from the cold stone walls.
The group is just about to enter the church when the quiet murmur of prayer and the patter of falling snow is broken by a loud scream coming from the direction of the dining hall building on the other side of the cloister.
"Oh no, not again," Laithe curses, before instantly transforming into his sleek wolf form and charging off in the direction of the scream. He pushes himself hard, determined this time to prevent the killer making a quick get-away.
"No! Not again!" Nicholai cries almost in tandem with the druid. He is off like a shot, following hard on the heels of his now-furry companion.
Laithe changes form and takes off across the cloister at a run, heedless of what any monks passing by might think, determined to catch the murderer in the act, or on escape. Nicolai follows just as urgently, although he is not able to keep up with the fleet footed grey wolf.
The initial scream has died away, but there still seem to be sounds of commotion or panic coming from the building. The noises appear to be coming from somewhere towards the western end of the building, so Laithe runs towards a door from the cloister near that end. He is forced to shift back into human form to negotiate the closed, heavy wooden door. Flinging it open, he finds himself looking into a corridor; to the left is a doorway leading into the main dining hall, to the right are some doors leading into the kitchen and pantry, and directly ahead, at the far side of the building is a door – open – leading outside, letting in a cold draught and flakes of snow.
Two monks stand in the corridor, babbling and clearly distressed, ringing their hands and praying. The look through the open door to the kitchen.
Kajetan gasps and lets out a curse in a foreign tongue as he hustles through the snow after Nicolai. His mind racing ahead of himself, is there a back door to the hall he could cut off any escape routes from.
The initial scream has died away, but there still seem to be sounds of commotion or panic coming from the building. The noises appear to be coming from somewhere towards the western end of the building, so Laithe runs towards a door from the cloister near that end. He is forced to shift back into human form to negotiate the closed, heavy wooden door. Flinging it open, he finds himself looking into a corridor; to the left is a doorway leading into the main dining hall, to the right are some doors leading into the kitchen and pantry, and directly ahead, at the far side of the building is a door – open – leading outside, letting in a cold draught and flakes of snow.
Two monks stand in the corridor, babbling and clearly distressed, ringing their hands and praying. The look through the open door to the kitchen.
Laithe runs towards the monks and glances in the kitchen, expecting the worst.
"Did you see the killer?" he demands of them, "Where did he go?"
Nicholai curses at the snow as he tries to run, but manages at best a speedy shuffle through the drifts. In moments he has lost sight of the speedier Laithe and is reduced to following the wolf's trail through the snow as best he can. He slides to a stop in the open doorway, sees Laithe inside, shouting at two monks, and takes a look around outside. He takes a deep breath to calm himself, exhales and sends a thought to Wij along his empathic link.
"Wij'kan! I need you!" He send in feelings, calm but urgent.
"Search from above. Someone is running away. Find him!" He sends in pictures, adding a sense of growing urgency. The feelings of growing frustration he sends are unintended, and uncontrollable.
Laithe runs towards the monks and glances in the kitchen, expecting the worst."Did you see the killer?" he demands of them, "Where did he go?"
Within the kitchen, in an immense brick fireplace rests a large cauldron. A pair of sandaled feet stick out of the top of the cauldron, and on the side of the pot the words ‘Penance Is Done’ are smeared in red oil.
In response to Laithe’s question, one of the monks points out the open back door. “I think ... I thought ...”
Nicolai runs straight past the distressed monks to the open back door at the end of the corridor, even while he mentally calls for his familiar. Peering out into the falling snow Nicolai can see the dark bulk of the infirmary building ahead, but, sharp eyed as he is he cannot see anyone ... but then he notices what appears to be footprints in the snow – obviously quite recent as they are not yet (quite) completely covered up by the snow. They appear to lead to (or perhaps from) the west. (For reference, the scriptorium lies west of here and the church south west).
The sorcerer gets mental feedback from Wijk’An, the bird looking down from his perch in the eaves of the clocktower roof – nothing moving on the ground. Even through the snow, Nicolai thinks that the celestial eagle should be able to see anyone moving about on the ground, unless they were well hidden ... but of course, someone walking about under one of the covered walkways that criss-cross the monastery, or someone who has just ducked into a building would be invisible from a height.
Kajetan, huffing and puffing through the snow, slides to a halt before the last corner of the building and tries to calm himself before he peers around the wall. He slams back against the wall banging his head as he sees a shadow cast on the snow from the open door. He takes a quick peak and sighs as he realizes it is the shadow of Laithe. He steps out cautiously and scans the surrounding area cursing his poor eyesight which turns detail into a blur after several yards.
Perception +1
"Laithe! Tracks!" Nicholai calls over his shoulder. He throws himself out into the snow, running as best he can along the tracks without stepping on them. He doesn't want to obliterate their chance of finding this guy!
He curses under his breath, but takes a deep breath to calm himself before reaching back along his empathic link.
"Keep looking. Keep watch. Anyone moving fast. He is near."
Nicholai sends to his familiar. HE tries to follow the tracks as best he can, expecting Laithe to burst ahead of him any moment, but not wanting to waste a moment waiting. He lifts his gaze to peer briefly ahead of him through the snow fall.
"Scriptorium, or Church? Where did you go?!?" He almost growls under his breath.
Laithe is about to follow Nicolai, but gives a moments pause. What if one of the monks is the killer? he considers.
"Were you two paired together this whole time?" he asks them, eyes darting from one to the other to detect any note of falsehood.
.
Kajetan:
Keeping his back to the wall and moving stealthily, Kajetan glances around as he makes his way around the building towards the back door. As he moves, he notices that both the rear door to the church and the door to the scriptorium are open. With his blurry vision he notices that someone dressed in brown is standing in the doorway of the scriptorium, but at this distance the figure is little more than a blur. Suddenly the figure moves back into the building and slams the door shut.
Laithe is about to follow Nicolai, but gives a moments pause. What if one of the monks is the killer? he considers.
"Were you two paired together this whole time?" he asks them, eyes darting from one to the other to detect any note of falsehood.
1d20 + 5
1d20 + 10
"Yes, yes, just like the abbot instructed," answers one of the monks. Laithe can detect no note of deceit (only fear) in the monk's voice.
Nicolai begins following the rapidly vanishing tracks – and almost bumps into Kajetan lurking just around the corner of the building, an instant before Wijk’An indicates that the young mage has emerged from the cover of the nearby walkway.
Nicholai starts, puts one hand on his heart, and the other on Kajetan's shoulder.
"Thanks for the warning eagle-eye!" He grumbles good-naturedly at his familiar. (The tone is brief panic, followed by gladness that it is a friend. Tinged with perhaps a bit of hysterical relief. And a touch of embarrassment.)
"Did you see anything? Or anyone?" Nicholai asks the slight mage, looking to make sure he doesn't lose the tracks. What's left of them.
"Stupid snow. A curse on snowdrifts, dark haunted caves and condemned, ramshackle buildings. Just once I'd like to face evil on a nice, sunny beach! Preferably after I've had a refreshing fruity, alcoholic beverage!" He grins at Kajetan and claps him on the shoulder.
"Come on." He says, instantly serious once more, and heads out again, still trying to follow the tracks,...
Kajetan lets out a girly shriek as Nicolai suddenly appears, his attention being focused else where. "Scriptorium," he announces as he heads in that direction "I saw a monk in the doorway a moment ago, alone and he slammed the door when he saw me."
Not so sure of the bravery of heading towards the door, he does anyway, hoping Nicolai and Laithe follow him.
Nicolai is no tracker, but it appears that the prints lead back towards the walkway – the direction that Kajetan has just come from. From there, the suspect might have headed west along the walkway towards the back door of the church, or the scriptorium or library beyond that ... or he (or she, or it) may have left the walkway at some point and gone just about anywhere.
It seems that someone was in a hurry to shut the door of the scriptorium, although Nicolai notices that the rear door of the church is open too.
Laithe soon catches up. Concerned that the group may be closing in on the vicious killer who was able to slay Ana with barely a fight, Keildrithe runs back to the dormitory to fetch Alton and Pharris. “Don’t get into any fights until I get back!” he calls.
By now the cloister is filling with monks (mainly from the church) come to investigate the screams. A few peer out of the rear door of the church into the walkway where the group stands.
Alton wakes with a start, looking bleary eyed up at Keildrithe. 'You've got to be joking' he mutters at his companions worried face. 'Am I never going to get a good rest again ... whats happened.'
As Alton grumbles he quickly gathers his weapons, and then follows Keildrithe at a run.
"No promises! So hurry!" Nicholai quips back out of habit towards Keildrithe's back.
"Laithe! The tracks head towards the walkway," He points behind Kajetan.
"Someone slammed the door to the Scriptorium, and the rear entrance to the church is wide open. Which way?!" The dandy stands looking between the church and the scriptorium, his lips tightened in frustration.
He lets loose a few choice curses in Astucan, (The angelic speech of Wij'kan's native tongue lacking any decent curse words to express Nicholai's feelings at the moment.) And plows back into the drifts towards the church.
"If he's in the scriptorium, he's pretty much trapped in there. If he's in the church, he's still trying to get away! Let's go!" He shouts over his shoulder.
Kajetan is indeed heading towards the scriptorium, bobbing along in his brown robe, he could be mistaken for one of the monks. He skids to a halt at the door and with a trembling hand, not all from the cold, reaches the handle to pull it open.
Kajetan lowers his hand before he opens the door after he is struck by a flash of inspiration. He casts Detect Thoughts and stares at the door trusting the spell to be able to penetrate the wood and any inner walls.
Kajetan lowers his hand before he opens the door after he is struck by a flash of inspiration. He casts Detect Thoughts and stares at the door trusting the spell to be able to penetrate the wood and any inner walls.
Satisfied that the two monks outside the kitchen were not responsible, Laithe races after Nicolai and joins he and Kajetan just outside. Seein his two friends take opposite directions, he is torn for a moment on which to follow. Given that Kajetan had seen someone entering the scriptorium, he judges that to be the best option.
"Nicolai, i'll go with Kaj" he calls. "Yell and yell loud if you find the killer in the church. May Ehlonna watch over you."
With that he races after Kajetan, catching up to the mage as he listens at the door of the sriptorium.
"Don't worry, you'll be able to hear me!" Nicholai retorts with a smirk. He makes a simple gesture, jabbing a quick finger at Laithe, and then Kajetan. His smirk grows as he turns back and plows as fast as he can towards the church.
"Can you hear me now?" He whispers smugly, his message spell mystically taking his voice to his friends ears as if he were standing next to them.
Nicholai slides to an almost graceful stop in front of the church door, managing to avoid colliding with the monks just starting to exit.
"The one who just came through, in a hurry, where did he go?" Nicholai asks panting, looking from monk to monk,...
Kajetan stops outside the door to the scriptorium and casts a spell, pressing a copper piece to his forehead whilst muttering mystic words, allowing his mind’s eye to penetrate the stone wall of the scriptorium and seek the minds within.
Kaj:
Round 2 (when Laithe reaches you at the Scriptorium door): You detect six minds of roughly average human intelligence.
Round 3: Oh Father Arton protect and save me, I don’t want to ... really see? I couldn’t be sure if ... me next? Oh, I shouldn’t have taken that extra food from the kitchen, it is theft ... trust those strangers, this only started with their ...
You can detect nothing of the thoughts of two of the minds you can sense.
As Kajetan concentrates with his eyes closed, Laithe hurries up behind him.
The three monks at the back door of the church ply Nicolai with questions – “What was that scream? Who was it? Has someone else been killed? Have you found the murderer?”
In answer to Nicolai’s question, one of the monks looks at his fellows. “I didn’t see anyone come through here,” he answers, his companions nodding in agreement. “We only just came through here ... we heard the scream, everyone had been deep in prayer, no one knew quite what to do, we all stayed where we were for a few moments ...”
“Oh Arton!” one of the others exclaims. “Did the murderer come in here?”
Nicholai cannot help himself, he mutters a choice word not commonly used in polite worship services of any ilk. Ignoring the startled reactions of the monks, he pushes his way past them into the church.
"Get back inside! And stay together! No one in or out!" He calls out over his shoulder. looking for the most likely route his suspect may have taken. He pauses, looking up the bell tower stairs, and then across,...
"Which way would I go? Upstairs is good for hiding, but no escape if found. Downstairs same thing. So, across!" He whispers to himself (and his spell-linked associates) before throwing himself across the small room towards the opposite exit.
Kajetan stops outside the door to the scriptorium and casts a spell, pressing a copper piece to his forehead whilst muttering mystic words, allowing his mind’s eye to penetrate the stone wall of the scriptorium and seek the minds within.
As Kajetan concentrates with his eyes closed, Laithe hurries up behind him.
Laithe nods in response to Nicolai's distant, whispered question as he catches up with Kajetan. "Yep, I can here you Nicolai."
As he sees the look of concentration on Kajetan's face he whispers, "What is it Kaj? Can you hear anything within?" He awaits impatiently for a reply, not wanting to disturb the wizard, but worried about the lead the killer is gaining with every second's delay.
"There are six intelligent creatures behind this door, I am reading there surface thoughts in case one is the killer, we should move on." Kajetan answers briefly, his eyes flickering open for a moment, but the look of strained concentration does not leave his face.
Nicolai dashes through the antechamber at the base of the belltower, into the main candle-lit body of the church, back behind the alter.
A few monks remain kneeling in their pews, praying, but most have gathered at (or already exited via) the side door back into the cloister to investigate the disturbance. Statues of angels and saints stare solemnly down from columns and alcoves, and the shadows within the cavernous space flicker with the candles.
"Okay, he didn't go that way,..." Nicholai grumbles (mostly) to himself, looking out at the pews of the church. He swiftly turns his attention to the nearby area, looking for the nearest exit, a hiding place that could be reached without entering easy sight of the church proper, or even a wet footprint! Anything that might tell him if he;s even on the right track,...
Nicholai blinks his snow-blinded eyes as he tries to acclimate to the sudden gloom of the church. He hisses in frustration as he realizes that he's literally blind at the moment.
"Laithe, Kajetan! Tell me you've got something! I'm blind here!" He hisses urgently under his breath.
"Okay, he didn't go that way,..." Nicholai grumbles (mostly) to himself, looking out at the pews of the church.
Anyone interested:
Nicholai could cast a spell. Loudly and in plain view of all in the church. And then try to spot the one 'monk' whose reaction is different that the others. Again,... it would take a REALLY good Per roll, and that's presuming that the monks don't all hate/fear magic as much as the killer probably does due to the inquisition. Liek I said, it was just a thought! :)
Nicholai's mind races.
"Laithe? Kaj?!" He whispers again, a little concern in his voice.
Nicholai blinks, trying to adjust his eyes to the dim light of the church, growing anxious as he waits for the others to respond. His heart still pounding from the run, the mere seconds he waits seem like hours,...
Alton arrives outside the church and scriptorium at a run, seeing Laithe and Kaj outside. 'Whats going on!? Where is he? Where are the others?' He fires the questions off in rapid succession, then stops to take a bug breath of air and try to slow his fast beating heart, whilst waiting for direction.
"There are six intelligent creatures behind this door, I am reading there surface thoughts in case one is the killer, we should move on." Kajetan answers briefly, his eyes flickering open for a moment, but the look of strained concentration does not leave his face.
As Alton arrives and Nicolai's whispered questions reach his ears magically, Laithe tries the handle. "Nothing yet Nicolai" he whispers in frustration as he puts his shoulder to the door.
Laithe bursts open the scriptorium door (it is unlocked) to reveal a cavernous room with high ceilings, filled with row upon row of writing desks. Despite the number of desks, there are relatively few monks in the room – a knot of six brown robed men stand within the room, but as Laithe barrels in a number of them scream and try to hide or run away.
There appear to be two other doors leading out of this large chamber, one at either end of the building. Laithe can’t see anyone else in the room, and none of this monks look particularly tall or strong, or otherwise odd looking.
As Nicolai stands near the front of the church, breathing heavily (and with none of the present monks moving to attack him, nor looking at him with any hostility that he can detect), several of the monks who had left the church via the side door re-enter, the old abbot and the strict Brother Bernadino amongst them. Both senior monks look weary and frightened, but whereas Brother Anselm appears to be channelling his fear into quiet determination and focus, Bernadino is almost literally jumping at shadows, his gaze snapping about as if expecting assassins lurking in every corner.
The two holy men limp towards Nicolai, surrounded by a frightened know of their followers.
“Brother Edmund has been killed,” says the abbot, quietly and sadly. “In broad daylight.” The old monk looks out a nearby window at the steadily falling snow and the iron grey clouds above. “Well, close enough. Either way he grows more bold.” He looks at Nicolai, searching for answers, looking rather lost, although he does appear to notice the holy symbol that the sorcerer wears, and nods slightly.
Bernadino is not so polite. “You are supposed to be protecting us!” he hisses, thrusting his lean, hatchet face towards Nicolai. “What have you done? Any one of us could be next!”
As Laithe bursts into the room, Alton's questions unanswered, he turns instead to Kaj. 'Wheres Nicolai? Someones supposed to be with him at all times!'
A note of desperation has entered Altons voice, he looks this way and that. Where to scattered, this thing will pick us off one by one
Kajetan almost visibly slumps when the door reveals six monks. He scratches his chin and shivers, before shaking his head and slowly moving back through the snow to the original door the assailant would of left by. Hoping he can find tracks in the slow. His movements are slow and deliberate as he maintains concentration on his detect thoughts spell.
Laithe bursts open the scriptorium door (it is unlocked) to reveal a cavernous room with high ceilings, filled with row upon row of writing desks. Despite the number of desks, there are relatively few monks in the room – a knot of six brown robed men stand within the room, but as Laithe barrels in a number of them scream and try to hide or run away.
There appear to be two other doors leading out of this large chamber, one at either end of the building. Laithe can’t see anyone else in the room, and none of this monks look particularly tall or strong, or otherwise odd looking.
"Did anyone just come through here through this door?" Laithe shouts at the group of monks. "If so, which way did they go?"
Kajetan shuffles back towards the rear door of the church, slowly and carefully enough not to stumble and lose concentration on his spell, quickly enough so that the magic does not expire before he gets there.
The church is a large, sturdily built stone building, and the wizard quickly realises that his spell will be unlikely to penetrate the thick walls, he will need to enter the building itself.
Passing through the antechamber at the base of the belltower, Kajetan enters the main body of the church, behind the altar. Nearby, Nicolai stands looking about, as the abbot, Brother Bernadino and several other monks approach him. More monks kneel in the pews, or mill about near the side door. There are close to twenty people here that Kajetan can see.
This main chamber of the church is about sixty feet long, so Kajetan feels confident in being able to detect the thoughts of everyone in the chamber, although his spell may not reach or penetrate the walls of the entry vestibule, some of the side chapels and other parts of the building.
Kajetan: