The horses graze calmly, unconcerned with schedules...
The trail of smoke is about a day's ride from you, assuming you keep the same pace as yesterday. You recall there being a village only a few hours away, according to your map. If you depart soon, you can easily reach it before lunch time.
The day is chilly, but generally pleasant, although you can still see dark clouds forming in the distant horizon.
"Apparently there were great pillars of flame from that direction last night. We should check it out."
"What the...I wonder what could have happened? Perhaps the people at the village will know."
"Yeah, that was pretty wild, I hope no one got hurt."
"You know, it's been a while since I traveled with people, You two seem like good people."
You follow the road, crossing a few farmlands and some untamed forest. Little more than 2 hours after leaving camp, you arrive at a small village named Red Creek.
There's some commotion in the village square, where people boo and throw fruit and small rocks at a man locked in a pillory. A militia guard stands nearby without doing anything, or even paying much attention.
Nearby vendors use the opportunity to sell their wares to the crowd.
Just a few yards farther away from the crowd, people go on with their lives, uninterested in the commotion.
Cyrus frowns at the jeering crowd and approaches a random person just going about their day.
"Hello! Do you know where we could purchase feed for our horses...and what is going on over there?" He gestures towards the crowd.
"Hmm... Oh..." the random passerby looks up from his nonchalant walk and replies to Brother Cyrus. "Burt has some for sale in the grocery store. Just a couple blocks that way. Can't miss it." he then points with his chin at the imprisoned man. "That guy killed a girl and her brother a couple nights ago... I heard he was even caught holding her heart in his. Pretty brutal... First time something like that happens over here."
Tai nods his head.
"Mob justice can be cathartic in times like these."
"Any motive, or is he just a random murderer? Removal of the heart sounds like some kind of ritual killing, but perhaps he was simply being dramatic."
"Eh... Gotta ask the reeve 'bout that. I'm not part of the militia. All I know is hearsay. Maybe a lovers' quarrel gone too far?"
"It takes a certain breed of madness to pull someone's heart out..." Cyrus' face casts a grim expression in response to Tai Leng's words. He inclines his head in respect for the villager's time.
Unable to resist the lure to defend against a potential threat to these common folk, Cyrus seeks on the militia man on duty near the crowd. Before speaking to him, the outer rim of Cyrus' iris glow with a faint trace of gold as he glances first to the man in the pillory before turning to the guard.
"Hail! My name is Brother Cyrus. I am a travelling holyman seeking a missing priest by the name Samwell Ritto. Pray tell have seen this man and could you elaborate on the crimes this man has committed?" Cyrus shows the militia the artist rendition of Ritto before nodding towards the man in the pillory.
Shea follows her companions, She knows very little about hearts and murder investigation procedures, So she just stays quiet and looks magical.
"Eeeh... I'm not supposed t'talk to civilians..." says the militian... But he doesn't even let Brother Cyrus add anything before answering. "Ok! Just don' tell the reeve I told'u!"
The soldier points at the man in stocks. "Sum one told us they saw lotta blood comin' from a half-open door, so we gone check... Whenw e got there, we saw a dead man inside, lots of blood, broken neck, cracked skull... We enter to 'vistigate and go inside the main room... The man was kneeling over some girl's body, without speakin' or doin' nothing! Just there! Blood all over his chest and arms! Her heart was 6 ft away and he had her guts in is' hands, sick bastard... Never seen anythin' like that! He hasn't said anythin' since! Even after people gettin' angry and throwin' stuff!"
True to the guard's words, the prisoner just looks down in silence, completely ignoring every projectile thrown at him.
"Betcha he's fakin' it... Sum times the judge send the crazies to the madhouse instead of hangin' them."
"Anyone who does something like that must be a little crazy, Good you folk where able to catch him before he did it again, Shame about the family though."
"Betcha he's fakin' it... Sum times the judge send the crazies to the madhouse instead of hangin' them."
"Perhaps. Though counterpoint: would someone with the self-control to prevent any response to the kind of abuse heaped on them right now also be capable of the kind of unfettered brutality displayed by the murder? That alone suggests insanity; it is difficult to reconcile a principled and calculated deception with such a blatant display of decidedly unsubtle violence."
The guard stares blankly at Tai Leng.
"Eh... Point is: He should hang!"
"Hanging ugh... Couldn't there be a less, Graphic way of executing, I mean Like I understand why it needs to be done, But like... I saw an execution once, The drop is supposed to break the neck but it didn't work this time, his legs where kicking and stuff, It was horrible, Oh god you're not going string him up are you, that's even worse... Like I read in a book that people who are executed like that can survive for hours, they grind their teeth down to the gums and their legs get all bloated. And then there is crucifixion, and Beheading, Do you think the head remains alive after it's cut off? Some people think it does, I bet it does, that would be hell, and then there is..."
Shea rambles about execution methods in the background.
"I suspect foul play. Crimes of passion do not usually invoke tight-lipped silence. Grief and guilt usually follows or self-righteous pride in the act." Cyrus approaches the man in the pillory and gets down on one knee and looks into the man's face searchingly.
"Are you alright?"
The guard looks at Shea with a confused expression...
"Your brain is messed up, lady." he comments.
Meanwhile, the prisoner doesn't even raise his head. The only reaction Brother Cyrus gets are the shouts from the crowd telling him to get out of the way.
"Nothings messed up, I just read a lot, Lexica Necronica was a required reading. There is a whole chapter on various executions and the effect is has on the human body, Well... What I'm trying to say is there is no reason to stoop to the murderers level to punish him. Now, what do you mean by foul play? you saying you don't think he did it?"
Shea asks Brother Cyrus.
"He almost certainly did it...the question is whether of his own volition or not."
Tai joins Cyrus near the man and tries to get a close read on his face.
"You think, I mean it does seem weird some normal guy just went crazy, there is no harm in investigating a little."
Although it's clear that the man isn't "all there", he doesn't seem to be possessed or being mind-controlled.
"Please, step away from the prisoner, sir." says a voice coming from a few yards to your left. Turning to look at its source, you find a man in his early 40s, with a red/orange hair, handlebar mustache and full beard. He wears an old chainmail armor over winter clothes and under a grey cloak, held together by a bronze clasp shaped like a 5-pointed star inside a circle. Two short swords hang from his belt. "I'd rather not have strangers interfering with this village's justice."
"Aaah... Reeve Ford." says the militian guard. "Welcome back! I-I was about to tell them that myself!"
The man ignores the guards and continues to speak to you.
"You don't look like no fancy lawyers or city guard, so keep your distance and let us do our job."
"Even better. We are traveling problem solvers! I understand the people of this land appreciate the help of people like us with their problems."
"Best of luck to you then." Cyrus murmurs a prayer that the man ask for forgiveness of the gods and repent before leaving.
"Let's buy some feed for the horses and be away from here. I don't have much of a stomach for this kind of 'justice.' It's barbaric and demeaning to the guilty and people alike."
With that, Cyrus will leave to go restock their rations/horse feed.
"So when is he due for his final day, if you don't mind me asking?"
"There's no problem to solve, stranger. The man committed murder and will be punished as the law demands. The sentence is already given and a priest is already on his way." Reeve Ford replies to Tau Leng, before turning to Shea. "With any luck, we'll be done before sundown."
The man doesn't seem to enjoy the situation, but doesn't seem to be particularly bothered by it either.
"Sometimes, it's best to let people satisfy their anger before having the deed done. Gives 'em some kind of closure and lets everyone know what happens to criminals around here."
He then gestures for you to leave.
"Now... You're free to stay in our village or go on with your travel, either way, I'm telling you to step away from the prisoner."
Tai nods his head.
"As you wish. Clearly there is no plot hook here you do not believe you need our assistance. We should be traveling back this way in a few days. If my instincts are correct there will be another, very similar murder, and you will have executed an innocent man. I hope that I am wrong. good day."
"Safe travels." the reeve says without concern.
- - -
You buy some feed and give it to your horses, then depart the village.
A couple hours later you reach a relatively small fort with stone walls. Its wooden gate is open, guarded by two soldiers who calmly talk to what seems like a merchant standing next to his horsecart. A third soldier approaches you and signs for you to stop.
"Halt!" he shouts with an almost disinterested tone. "Please, dismount for a moment."
"Gladly." Tai says, and complies.
Shea was all down for getting super distracted and attempting to bust a potential murderer out of bondage on a hunch, that sounded fun. but she was outnumbered by her companions, and she got the impression that they where not down for that, Sad. She had a hard time thinking up a way of breaking him out alone in such a short time. Well... He probably did it anyway...
She was still trying to think up some sort of scheme when asked to dismount, seeing Tai do it first she followed suite, Jumping off Glitterhoof.
"What seems to be the problem? You delay a matter of import. In fact, have you seen this man?" Cyrus inquires whilst dismounting and showing the guard the picture.
"Sir... You can ask your questions inside." he says as he begins to check your mounts, although without opening any of your luggage.
"Seems everything is fine. Thanks for the cooperation. Move on." he gestures for you to keep moving, and so you do, passing the trader with the horse-cart who was in front of you (causing him to complain to the soldier questioning him, but his grievance is ignored).
Once inside the small fort you can see it's clearly undermanned, with no more than a dozen guards around, including the three at the gate. Only two soldiers actually man the walls, one of which looks at the distance with a small spyglass.
There are two minor buildings inside, adjacent to walls on opposite sides of the fort. On top of each building rest two large pyres that seem to not have been used in years.
The road goes through the place, from the gate you came in to one on to another one on the opposite side of the fort, where a couple soldiers talk to a man transporting large amounts of hay.
Inside a few merchants and travelers talk to each and/or complain at one of the guards. The other soldiers keep on trying to do a multitude of tasks. You can see only one officer around, a bald man in his mid 30's with a thick brown mustache. He's apparently supervising the other men, occasionally shouting or pushing one or two of them to hurry up.
No one pays much attention to you.
Shea does show the picture of the priest to passerby's in the town. Many of them are travelers after all, perhaps someone has seen him.
"Hello, Have you seen this Man?"
.
"Yes I am looking for this priest."
.
"I'm looking for this man, have you seen him at all?"
Cyrus goes up the mustached man who looks like he is in charge.
"Excuse me sir, have you seen this man?" And shows him the picture.
"Huh?!" The man is somewhat startled by your approach. "Let me see that." he nonchalantly takes the picture from your hands.
The sergeant scratches his chin. "Hmm... There was a man, about a month ago... Spent a couple days here. A priest, by the looks of it. A poor one too. He was riding a donkey." he shrugs his shoulders "Never spoke to him... Perhaps one of the lads knows more. Ask Ionus. He was in charge of watching the civilian quarters that fortnight."
"And be careful on our travels! There have been accidents. A new group of bandits may be acting further down the road."
"Where can I find Ionus?"
"Should be by the north gate. The lad with curly brown hair." he points at the gate on the opposite side from the one through which you entered the fort.
"Now, if ya'll excuse me." he turns around to address a pair of nearby soldier...
"PICK UP THE PACE, YA LAZY BASTARDS! IF THIS PLACE AIN'T IN ORDER WHEN THE CAP COMES BACK, I'LL MAKE YA LICK THE WALLS CLEAN!!!"
The two young men speed up in their tasks.
"Thank you for your time sir." Cyrus goes to meet this Ionus fellow and ask him the same question.
"Hello! Your captain said you may have seen this missing man."
"Please Sir, It's urgent."
Ionus listens to Brother Cyrus inquiry.
"My Capt- Ah! You mean sarge! Let me see..."
"Oh... I remember him! Priest Sam! Stayed a couple days in the civilian quarters around a month ago. Cool guy. Taught me some cool tricks for when playing cards... That got me quite a few bucks from the guys. Anyway... I thought it was odd that an old guy like him was traveling alone and unarmed, so I asked where he was headed." he points down the road. "He told me he was going to meet a friend that lives beyond the Boiling Swamp. I asked him what kind of crazy hermit lives so far, so he laughed and said his friend was too old and grumpy for the city. He also said it'd be nice to see the thrae. That could be true... I've never seen one, but I've heard they are super sexy."
"Maybe his friend is one of them? Priest Sam was carrying two gallons of fine ale, said they were a gift. That stuff is hard to come by in the wilds, you know... So maybe his friend is one of those woods-dwelling types? Don't know any of them that lives beyond the swamp, but I heard there are tribes in the Howls, so I guess it's possible."
"Thank you for your time sir." Cyrus bows to the guard and looks around to see what kind of merchants are around at the fort.
A month ago? I sure hope he is still alright. I'm afraid we may be returning remains at this point.
There are all sorts of wares in the nearby horse-carts. Wheat and other produces are the most common, with fabrics being a distant second.
"No problem... Take care. Stay alert for bandits and beasts... There was a fire last night. Might have been a raid in the next town, so keep your wits about you."
Cyrus browses the merchants wares before returning the others to be ready to move on.
A gift to the right person at the right time might open a door normally kept shut.
The selection is limited, as these traders aren't exactly travelling merchants, but suppliers to Blue Shell commerce and industry. As such, most of their wares are raw materials and primary products, almost certainly bought from nearby rural communities or individual craftsmen.
No jewelry is available, but there is a small selection of fine fabrics and furs, as well as some fancy wine, cheese and meats. Their owners are willing to sell a small quantity, but won't agree to large sales.