Not too keen on indiscretion, Vitality lightly raps upon Kendra's room. "Have you gathered yourself yet Miss?" he asks.
Ulam glances over his shoulder to Viktoria, who seems to have lost herself in thought a few paces behind the group. What the deviils bugging her? He looks around the see what has caught her eye and distracted her so…
Ulam stops, and sees the sparkling metal object in the water. The water is moving slowly, lapping lazily at the rocks along the shore. There appears to be a rough path leading down to the water's edge.
"More than thirty years ago, now. I was really no older than a boy," Gibs replies.
As you make your way south, you can see the Lorrimor house coming up on the right. About ten more minutes and you'll be there.
Gibs continues his story. "Settled down here in Ravengro, the one place that didn't seem too concerned with my past. Met a girl, we married, and then she left when we couldn't get anything from the land." He sighs deeply before continuing.
"Now I work as a general farm hand, taking whatever work comes my way."
Echo pops her head out, informing Vitaliy that it will be just another minute. Soon after, Kendra emerges, dressed in blue robes that swish against the floor. A wooden staff with a taloned claw at the top holds a blue crystal in place.
"It's time we found out what Father was doing with his nights." She heads towards the stairs, and looks back to Vitaliy. "Coming?"
"Fate willing, we shall." Vitaliy follows her down the stairs and out of the house.
As they walk, he speaks to Kendra "I had found a clue that I think relates to your spectral assailant. Does the name 'Cilas Grayden' ring any bells?"
"Some girls will do that Gibs. So do some men. They don't understand that fate can always change if you but stay alive."
Changing the subject, she turns to the man, "Why were you so against the Professor being buried in the cemetery? What has he done that turned the town against him so and will they turn on the daughter as well? Yes, I suspect he was a necromancer, but he is dead now and the point is moot - unless you think he will rise? His sins are for Pharasma to judge, not me."
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Giving Gibs time to answer, she then asks, "What happened that night up at Harrowstone?"
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Regardless of Gibs answer, she follows up with, "There is more going on here than I have been made aware. That Professor was up to something and I don't trust the daughter much more. You let me know if you are threatened and we'll see what can be done. In the meantime, you best be careful."
Taking her leave, Catherine will head back to the house without a compelling indication of why she should stay.
There is something going on with him, wolfkiller or no. There be two minds in that head and two sets of eyes looking out. Did he really turn or is he possessed by something else? Let him think I trust him and we'll see what that gets me. I've not got the sight, but I have this feeling that I'll be putting a bullet in him when all is said and done.
Ulam calls out to the others "Everybody stop. Something cur-i-ous in the water. I will like to take this path, find out what is. Maybe something good." He swings axe over his right shoulder and casually strolls down the path to the water's edge.
He will reach out to the object if it's within reach - if not, is there anything else he can make out about it from this closer vantage point?
Dawn looks over, and sighs, "Of course, something shiny in the water, yes? And it is not a reflection, you are sure? Show me."
Viktoria perks at Ulam's request.
"Yes, let's take a look Ulam. Where do you see it?"
Picking his way down to the river's edge, Ulam plucks the object from the water. It is a necklace with a scarab beetle pendant. The beetle is identical to the one that adorns the cover of the locked book that the professor left behind.
On the backside of the pendant, the initials A. A. have been engraved.
"That night up at Harrowstone...?" He looks a little confused, then answers Catherine's question about the Professor. "I don't know that he'd rise, or what power he has beyond this world. Alls I know is that he was always traipsing about at night."
Coming to the Lorrimor house, Gibs gives Catherine a half-hearted salute, "Be seeing you deputy."
You notice that Gibs appears to be a completely different person than the one you first met this morning, then at the pub.
Kendra stops a moment on the steps. "Grayden...? It doesn't mean anything to me personally. Is it something important? To do with the mystery of Father?"
The trio make their way outside, where they see the angry man from the funeral parting ways with Catherine, who addresses her as 'deputy'.
"Something to do with your assailant I think." If Vitaliy still had eyebrows, one would be raised about this time. "Hello again Ms. Black. We had not expected your return so early. It seems there are further questions we need to pose to the church's records."
"If you please Ulam, let me see that for a moment." Viktoria studies the pendant for a moment, turning it over in her hands.
"What an interesting piece. Dawn, see this beetle, it looks just the same as the one on the dark book, the locked one, that the professor left. Do you think it could be some sort of key or part of a device? And look here, initials, A.A. I wonder who that might be?"