Rosanna starts at the broad-shouldered man's words, glancing about nervously as she lifts her hood back over her head. At Iovanna's words she nods and... concentrates.
A few townsfolk cry out as Rosanna begins casting, but none voice actual protest.
You detect no magic. Either it has dissipated quickly, or some other force controlled the flute.
Rosanna looks up at Iovanna. "The flute's not magical, nor anything else that I can sense in this area."
Rosanna looks around at the villiagers, and will move nervously towards any that seem hurt.
You know that there is little you can do to ease the healing of those attacked by stirges. The wounds they make while feeding seal almost immediately after contact is broken, and a few days rest usually replenishes the lost blood. The major danger is from the diseases the creatures may carry. Victims should be watched closely for days after being bitten.
You have never heard of stirges acting in accordance with a song, but neither can you think of a spell that would have caused their strange behavior.
A man runs into the town square from the direction of the Restlands. "We're attacked by beasts, but the wandering archer has felled them and saved us."
"Here too, did strangers come to our aid." A woman responds. She turns to you, a look of gratitude on her face.
"All well and good and all that." A growling voice comes from behind you. "But neither did anything of this like happen before they came." You turn to see the grizzled man who led yesterday's mob. He leans against a nearby building and leers at you.
"Gibs Hepehenus." Kendra makes no effort to hide her contempt.
"An attack? At the restlands? Was anyone hurt? I may be able to help." Rosanna speaks throwing a nervous glance at Gibs.
"You're kind to offer, miss, but Father Grimburrow is already tending to those the creatures attacked."
Jaxus watches Rosanna cast her spell, Wonder if it might be a ghost or something. Jaxus quietly concentrates and cast detect undead.
You do not detect any trace of undead, though any lingering presence may have dissipated by now.
Some people in this place seem to be foolish, but no more than you, Gebs... Hrolf says with scorn, twisting the final word with disdain and tapping his blood stained mace against his free hand with a heavy thunk; walking over to Gebs menacingly. His meaning is clear. Any further slight towards my companions or Kendra will be taken as an offence to my honour. And I will answer such a challenge in the Ulfen way, runt.
To accentuate his point as he slowly and menacingly approached the man, Hrolf slammed his mace against his shield, the sound reverberating through the street.
Intimidate
Gibs Hephenus' eyes narrow. "There'll come a time, wild man. There'll come a time." He turns and walks away.
"Do not play his game, Hrolf." Kendra puts her hand on Hrolf's shoulder. "You are better than him, and he knows it." She gazes up at the Ulfen, a smile on her lips.
A shriek sounds from behind.
"I've done nothing!" You turn to see that a few of the townsfolk have taken hold of the pipe-seller.
"Shut it!" the broad shouldered man grunts. "We're takin' ya to Grimburrow! He'll know what's what."
Hrolf grunts in disdain towards Gebs once more, then turns to Kendra's other allies.
I would counsel seeing how Grimburrow deals with this; if he looks set to allow harm to this man I will intervene, however.
Jaxus walks up to the pipe seller and the men harassing him. "Why would this man attack his own customers? I don't own my own business but I am pretty sure that attacking your own customers is not a good business practice."
Iovanna turns to Kendra. "Kendra, do you think Father Grimburrow a fair and reasonable man? I've only met him briefly on a few occasions so far so I don't feel I can judge whether or not it is a good idea to let him decide the pipe-seller's fate."
Kendra's brow is furrowed. "He will levy no worse a sentence against this man than those assembled, and he may know of some answers that elude us. I think we should bring the man to the Temple."
"In that case I say we escort him to Father Grimburrow ourselves to ensure he arrives there safely rather than protest and fight half the town."
Iovanna will walk over to where the pipeseller is being held and tells those holding him: "I will be taking this man to Father Grimburrow. You may follow behind if you wish."
"In that case I say we escort him to Father Grimburrow ourselves to ensure he arrives there safely rather than protest and fight half the town."
Iovanna will walk over to where the pipeseller is being held and tells those holding him: "I will be taking this man to Father Grimburrow. You may follow behind if you wish."
It is good that you followed my counsel, warrior. Hrolf said, moving to protect the man from any unruly members of the crowd.
"Very well then, stranger, because you fought bravely to protect us." The man's eyes are grim. "But I for one will follow fifty paces back."
"Me too." says another. "We deserve to know what happened, same as you."
"I'll be along as well."
"Me too."
"Same."
The man is silent as you lead him back to the Pharasmin Temple. You knock upon the heavy wooden doors once again, and after the seemingly customary delay, you are answered. An acolyte looks you up and down.
"What business is this?"
Knowing that Iovanna has been here before, Hrolf waits for her to take the lead.
The pipe-seller looks around frantically.
"Sanctuary!" he blurts out. "I need protection! Sanctuary!"
Speaking to the acolyte, "We need to speak with Father Grimburrow. This man stands accused of summoning and controlling a small swarm of stirges that attacked us and some townsfolk."
"Very well, but Father Grimburrow is performing a funeral at the moment." The acolyte grinds his teeth. "He should return within the hour. You may wait inside."
"And us?" The broad shouldered man calls from the yard, not observing the fifty paces he'd agreed to.
"Sanctuary." The pipe-seller begs.
"He shall have it." The acolyte calls to those assembled. "And no more shall enter than he, those who tend this temple, and those who keep company with Iovanna of Lastwall."
There is grumbling among the crowd as the acolyte invites you into the temple and shuts the door.
Jaxus follows everyone through the doors keeping an eye on the crowd as they leave.
Hrolf continues to act as a guard for the pipe seller.
Rosanna moves into the temple, staring upwards in awe at the mighty building before glancing nervously around at the priests within.
The acolytes say almost nothing to you, but they bring a basin of water and some tea. The pipe-seller drinks at least three cups himself.
It must be near an hour before Grimburrow enters the chamber. He stops and looks across all of you, his stern face betraying little sign of emotion.
"I have been briefed by my acolyte. This attack is scarcely to be believed, and I may not have had the funeral party not been set upon as well. Brother Hayashi made quick work of them with his arrows and is providing comfort to the wounded." Grimburrow's eyes come to rest on the pipe-seller. "But the townsfolk think this one set the beasts upon us. I have heard no plausible explanation as to why they think this. You were there, friends. What chanced?"
"His pipe suddenly began floating in mid-air and playing on its own Father. The stirges appeared to be moving and attacking with the melodies it played. Since it was his pipe, they decided that he must be guilty even though he looked just as terrified as everyone else there."
"I did nothing!" The man cries out again. "Bewitchment!"
Father Grimburrow's face seems to whiten, but his etched expression does not change. He peers at Iovanna, his eyes hard. "I knew a young man from Lastwall years ago. Few were swifter in judgement than he, and yet his blade did not always do justice. You have compassion and reason, Iovanna, and I admire it. This young man that I speak of marched for the Worldwound years ago. A good place for his sort, I think, though I do not know if he still walks this world. You, though...you might be just what we need here. Questions have arisen that have no easy answers."
The old priest turns abruptly back to the pipe-seller. "I must hold this man for a time, in my protection. I hope to learn some truth. In the meantime, let us not forget the library. I think, if you look in the pages, you may find mention of pipes."
"Library? I can help to look for some explanation." says Rosanna, glancing at the others. "I do not believe that this man is guilty, not given,... what's been happening."
"I hope that you are right, child." Though he wears the same impassive look as before, Father Grimburrow seems somehow sad.
"Maybe this type of attack has happened before. We could ask around or do some research in the library to see if this is the work of someone that is already known."
Rosanna looks up at the priest Where is this library? she asks, nervously, "The sooner we start, the sooner we can hope to find an explanation for what happened."
"Of course." Father Grimburrow says. "You were not here before. Allow me."
"If I might..." Kendra interjects. "I should return home. I wish you the best on your studies. Please share what you learn upon your return."
The elderly priest gives her a silent, respectful nod, before beckoning you to follow him. He leads you into a hallway off the main chamber, taking a torch from a sconce as he walks. He is silent but for the echo of his footsteps. He leads you to a large small room at the end of the corridor.
"Here is the library. Iovanna will need to supervise its use."
Grimburrow shuts the door quietly behind you, placing the torch by the door to give you light; the small slit of a window is not enough to provide adequate illumination. You watch the shadows carefully, but see no sign of the creatures that have been haunting you.
You turn your attention to the impressive collection of tomes. It is not as extensive as Professor Lorrimor's, not is it as colorful. The books seem bound exclusively in neutral colors.
Following the two women into the library, Hrolf asks-
Whats our next move?
The books seem to be primarily about the history of Ravengro, with a particular emphasis on Harrowstone. Your reading doesn't tell you much you hadn't already heard, though it confirms some of what you know. Harrowstone is a ruined prison — partially destroyed by a fire in 4661, the building has stood vacant ever since. The locals suspect that it’s haunted, and don’t enjoy speaking of the place, but the author of the text does not believe in such things and discounts their concerns as mere superstition.
History
Hrolf learns that Harrowstone was built in 4594. Ravengro was founded at the same time as a place where guards and their families could live and that would produce food and other supplies used by the prison. The fire that killed all of the prisoners and most of the guards destroyed a large portion of the prison’s underground eastern wing, but left most of the stone structure above relatively intact. The prison’s warden perished in the fire, along with his wife, although no one knows why she was in the prison when the fire occurred. A statue commemorating the warden and the guards who lost their lives was built in the months after the tragedy—that statue still stands on the riverbank just outside of town.
Hrolf shares his information with Rosanna.
[ooc]hope it's OK to offer some advice to help speed things along?
e.g. - {spoiler=perception DC 15:} You notice a shadowy figure in the alcove{/spoiler}
Several hours pass as you carefully pick through the books in the church library. A knock breaks your focus.
"I apologize for the interruption." A voice sounds from beyond the door. "But a town meeting has been called this evening. It will begin within the hour. The town council has requested your presence. What shall I tell them?"
Jaxus stares at all the books, "I am way out of my element here."
He grabs a book and flips through it.
Though his hands are more familiar with the weight of a sword than that of a book, Jaxus stumbles across a detailed account of the Harrowstone incident:
Most of the hardened criminals sent to Harrowstone spent only a few months imprisoned, for it was here that most of Ustalav’s executions during that era were carried out. The fire that caused the tragedy was, in fact, a blessing in disguise, for the prisoners had rioted and gained control of the prison’s dungeons immediately prior to the conflagration. It was only through the self-sacrifice of Warden Hawkran and twenty-three of his guards that the prisoners were prevented from escaping — they gave their lives to save the town of Ravengro.
At the time Harrowstone burned, five particularly notorious criminals had recently arrived at the prison. While the commonly held belief is that the tragic fire began accidentally after the riot began, in fact the prisoners had already seized control of the dungeon and had been in command of the lower level for several hours before the fire. Warden Hawkran triggered a deadfall to seal the rioting prisoners in the lower level, but in so doing trapped himself and nearly two dozen guards. The prisoners were in the process of escaping when the panicked guards accidentally started the fire in a desperate attempt to end the riot.