Zeldana nodded along with her allies. "They're right, if the dead are walking we need to ensure they return to rest. Else it's an ill omen." She said.
The sheriff looks startled at Zeldana's comment. What undead? I don't think they break into tombs as a rule. The tomb is a vault holding the remains of Ezakien Tobyn, and a memorial for his daughter.
He looks a bit sad. Looking down at his hands he said For those of you who are visiting, They were both killed when the Temple burned down, a few years ago. Never found the girls body, it was all burned up.
He looks up to you. Go to the graveyard. The tomb is near the centre. See what you find.
"Alright. We'll investigate and see what we can find out... and if possible, we'll try to track down who did it and bring him/her/or them to you."
Cale speaks up at this point "I hate to be the one to say this, but if I'm gonna be risking my life I'd like some sort of payment. I mean last night was one thing, helping you guys and risking my life then, we were already in the area, in danger and whatnot, but purposefully seeking out danger is another. I'm not a paladin, I'm a bodyguard."
Ruaidhrigh shrugs. "We did get free food today. Free food is always good. But Blondie has a point. I guess I wouldn't turn down more substantial pay." After a pause, the gnome speaks up again. "Say, did the goblins drop any weapons or anything yesterday? Not every day I run across much stuff my size."
Hemlock sighs and leans back in his chair.
It's not as if the town has a whole lot of money to spend. We found some magic in the debris the goblins were carrying. How about I let you pick and choose in that, first choice if you like. And if you find the actual instigators, a bonus. But you work for us to find out who did this. And you look at the crypt before the deal is struck, yes? So I can see that you can think as well as fight.
He looks at you speculativly
Free healing while you are on task, and I'll pick up the tab of your accommodation for the duration. What do you say?
To Ruaidhrigh he says as a side note You are welcome to choose some goblin weapons, but they are a poor lot. Dog slicers and horse cleavers most are called, nasty with sharp edges. Likely to injure you as an opponent. The pile is at the back of the office. we were going to render it down to reuse them. Take what you like.
"I always assume when dealing with the dead that some maybe walking. When you disturb someones tomb bad things happen, often it results with the spirit or body of the dead up and walking an restless." Zeldana stated with a simple shrug of her shoulders. "Grandmother always said never mess with the dead." She sighed.
"However I don't need any payment, I'll gladly help my home." She smiled at Hemlock with a nod.
Anji nods to Zel's comment. "As will I, of course... whatever payment sought by others, if any is due me, give to the families who lost loved ones or homes as a result of these attacks, or keep for the benefit of the city as a whole... I have no need of it for myself."
Cale takes the barkskin potion and nods appreciatively. He then offers the cure potions to the others, but If no one else takes any of them he shrugs and takes them, being sure to tell the others where he stores them in case he goes unconscious
Ruaidhrigh excitedly picks through the pile of goblin weaponry, taking a couple of dogslicers and a horsechopper.
The party leaves with the sherrif to investigate the tomb in question. It only a short walk. Once there he says I'll be talking to the priest, you can check out the tomb. Be careful, and say hello to the walking dead for me
He walks away chuckling.
The tomb is a fairly impressive one, large for a town this size. It is obvious the occupant was fondly remembered. The iron door is open slightly. From the outside it is made of stone, with statues of Desna and Pharasma facing each other, heads bowed. It is rather quiet, all of the sudden.
Actions?
"Well, that doesn't look good... let's check it out.." Anjelica peers into the tomb through the open door, pushing it further open if she has to.
The first chamber, the votive shrine, greets your eyes. The body of a goblin lies on the floor in front of you. The alters to desna and Pharasma have been defiled, having been struck repeatedly by a weapon of some sort. One of the two burial chambers has been breached, but the other has a fresh red rose plsced before it.
Checking the goblin
checking the alters
Checking the unbreached burial chamber
This is the door to the daughter who died in the fire. Her body was never found, consumed by the fire it is thought, so this was a memorial.
The rose is freshly cut.
checking the breached burial chamber
This door was smashed open with great force. The chamber beyond is trashed, and the body is missing.
Thoughts/actions?
"Well, that's odd, goblin shamans rarely go out on raids, and this fellow was clearly a shaman, or at least dressed up to look like one... and whoever killed him left behind some items as well..."
Anji slips inside, moving the door if she must to gain access... She doesn't immediately pick up the items. Instead she examines the place more thoroughly.
"The altars have been slashed at viciously, almost like someone in a rage or frenzy. I wonder what happened here... Someone broke in, left a rose at one resting place, and opened the other, taking the body."
"maybe he was some kind of overzealous necromancer? tried to use magic beyond himself and lost control of the monsters he created?"
Cale detects magic "he has magical gear, which supports the theory that whatever attacked him was mindless....
Alek will use detect magic along with Cale.
Ruaidhrigh recoils a bit at the gnome ear, but picks up the oddly shaped knife and looks it over.
"Not only that." Zeldana said as she joined Anjelica at the altars. "This was done with magic... or at least magical power put behind it." She told her as she shook her head. "Why attack a tomb that doesn't even hold a body? Who would go out of their way for this?" She asked as she looked the the group as a whole.
"Maybe somebody that didn't like the priest, or his faith?" Ruaidhrigh says, not looking up from the strange knife.
"Then why not attack the temple or the priest himself?" Zeldana asked with a shrug.
After examining the items, Alek and Cale determine the follwing
Leather armour +1, small
The ear gives a +2 to perception checks, but will give a penalty of -5 to interactions with gnomes who see it (the last isn't a magical effect, just disgust)
The dagger is a small Kukri +1, wounding (yes Ruaidhrigh, it is sized for you)
Potion of cure light wounds
Potion of shield of faith
Wand of ray of enfeeblement, 6 charges
Dakash sneers in disgust as he surveys the scene. He whispers a soft prayer, his eyes looking up to the sky as he entreats his divine benefactor for magic.
Empowered with enhanced sight, he begins to examine the carnage.
"It's a strange beast that would venture into the tomb of a dead man, but have claws capable of these marks. Most scavengers aren't this vicious. I wonder if the creature left tracks. Especially if it's carried off the body of this tomb's resident?"
After speaking, Dakash stands from the kneeling position he'd assumed while looking over the goblin's wounds, and looks for tracks in or out of the tomb.
Darkash looks for tracks, but too many have trampled on the scene, and no trace remains.
Having investigated the tomb, you return to the cathedral to speak to the sheriff and father zanthus. The sheriff turns to you and says
so, what did you find? Did the walking dead turn up? he winks at zeldana.
sheriff you should not jest at such things father zanthus says, lightly rebuking him. somethings should not be lightly spoken of. These ones may actually run into them one day, though hopefully not in my graveyard he finishes with a twinkle.
Sheriff Hemlock coughs yes father. So what did you find?
"The tomb was indeed broken into. We found no signs of walking dead, however a rose was laid at the door to one of the two resting places inside... the other, that of the old priest, was broken open and the body is missing. The altars were slashed and desecrated. Do you have any idea who might bear such animosity towards the old priest to do this horrible thing?"
"Also, a dead goblin. His skull caved in, as if with a club. No slash marks. Was strange."
"Ah yes, I'd forgotten the dead goblin shaman."
Zeldana playfully glared at the sheriff before grinning as she said "Do you want a curse on your sheriff? Don't mock a varisian harrower else you could get that." She joked before she pointed to the priest and added "See, even he understands that when dealing with graveyards you have to worry about undead." She said light heartily.
Shaking her head Zeldana looked to Anjelica. "Not to mention the claw marks where made by something with magical abilities. Honestly that worries me most." She sighed.
"the fact that they left behind several minor magic objects tells me it was done by something mindless, like possibly an undead..... though on reflection it could just be something that doesn't understand the value of such items.... admittedly the two possibilities there are quite similar"
Ruaidhrigh holds up the small knife. "Like this. It's a magic knife. Why not take it with them? I mean, I guess maybe it belonged to the dead goblin, it'd barely be a toothpick for one of you big folk. So whoever killed the goblin was probably a big person. I still want to know why this knife is shaped weird, mostly." the gnome says, making a few experimental cuts in the air with the weapon.
Alek sighs. "So we have a goblin raid, a desecrated tomb and a stolen body. And they are all somehow connected, I'm no investigator, these kinds of things just give me a headache."
Cale chuckles "sounds like something out of a bard's tale"
To Ruaidhrigh it's one of those odd tian blades. Ask ameiko, she should know more about them.
The sheriff leans back, lips pursed as he considers. He comes to a decision.
ok, there is a mystery here, but with the need to guard against more goblin attacks I don't have time to investigate it right now. I have gained intelligence that more goblins are gathering in an army. So would you like the job? If you find out what is going around, I can give you 100gp each, and free healing. Also you can keep the gear of those responsible.
Father zanthus clears his throat.
The sheriff looks at him and nods. unless what you find is evil of course. Give that to the father for destruction.
He turns back to the party
as to your reward for your efforts, you get to pick from this stuff.
An acolyte and a guards man come in with a chest. In it is a collection of items taken off the goblin attackers.
these are all magical or alchemetical, and are identified.
In the chest is:
3 potions of cure light wounds
2 potions of aid
An amulet of natural armor +1
5 alchemist fires
A dark wood buckler, medium size
2 thunder stones
so, will you take the job?
Anji takes a potion of cure light, an alchemist fire and a thunderstone, leaving the rest for others to pore over. "Be happy to do so, but what exactly IS the job? What do we know other than that the blade is of tien origin? Oh, wait.. maybe we could ask Ameiko if she's ever seen this blade before. I mean how many tien folk could there be in one small Varisian town?"
Cain goes for the Amulet "sure, seems interesting and it's good to help people
"Yep. Sounds like a deal, Lawman." Ruaidhrigh says, before grabbing the bottles of Alchemist's Fire. "Oooh. I like these." he says as he pockets them.
The sheriff looks at Anjelica somewhat puzzled.
what do you think i want you to do? Find out who violated the tomb, and why. Prove it and bring them to justice. And let me know what's going on every few days.
"ok.... but just a warning, I'm not a detective... I'm a bodyguard. You need someone protected or stabbed that's in my wheelhouse. I'm even a half decent wizard, but I'm not sure how I'd go about establishing guilt, I'll be sure to give it all I have though"
Alek looks at Cale and nods
"Sounds about right. What he said." Alek grabs a potion of aid and cure light.