"Unless 'twas a deadfall to take Andrew? No, I fear you have th' right of it...someone with hands did this thing."
Peredur searches the cave carefully, then climbs down into the pit and searches there before gathering up the bodies (unless interrupted first).
"Fair point," Eloise says, her voice grim.
While Peredur descends and looks around the pit, she looks outward, alert for threats that might try to sneak up on the group.
In the cave, you find a single boot-print, toes pointing toward the entrance. Meanwhile, the night sets in, the moon bathing the little village below in a pale light. Peredur successfully retrieves the skeletal remains of the children from inside the pit.
After retrieving the remains , Peredur spots a boot-print and follows it out of the cave. In the moonlight, he crouches down and examines the ground, carefully stepping in a wide circle before straightening up. "It's more tracks I'm finding. Come on--someone else has been here, and our answers may lie at th' end of this trail."
Eloise squats down to look at the track as well, using her magic lights to make the track a little more visible. The Chelishwoman grunts her agreement with Peredur's assessment.
"So do we go in by the front door, or try to surround this collaborator from all sides?" she asks, bouncing her black sword on her shoulder.
"'Twould be wisest, I'm thinking, to see if Kieli's feeling th' presence of a wraith hereabouts first."
"A Wraith with feet?" Eloise asks, one eyebrow rising in surprise.
"No, a collaborator with allies."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sour Heck wraps the children’s bones in cloth as Peredur hands them up out of the pit, packing them away almost reverently. As he works, he nudges Iesha. “Can you tell by looking at the remains if Brother Swarm killed them?”
He follows Peredur as the ranger surveys the trail before him.
Kieli takes to the air, and a few moments later Talia reports that the scared, cold feeling the bird felt before is now faint and distant. The bootprints lead down the hill to the east, toward a ruined shack now overgrown with weeds and rushes on the shore of a small lake. Though the door has fallen off its rusty hinges, a note on a scrap of paper has been tacked to the frame with a small pen-knife. "I tried to spend the night in a cave atop the hill. I found some children's bodies inside, so I sealed it as a tomb. I'm going to scavenge what I can tomorrow. By the time you read this, I'll be gone." A lot of fire damage on the inside of this collapsed building is visible.
Peredur peers into the ruins of the building, then reaches in and carefully extracts the burned remains of a book. "What do y'make of this, Sour Heck? For it seems to be poetry, look you." He looks around. "Time we were away, I'm thinking."
"Tsk!" Eloise clicks her tongue. "Not a collaborator, then; just a concerned citizen who scarpered without doing a proper job for those pitiful bones. Do we want to kick in the door and check inside, or are we going back to Lepidstadt?"
"Let us complete our job and check here. There may be more indication that Andrew didn't kill these children. Perhaps whomever left this note could stand as a witness?"
The note has been there for perhaps a month. The paper has yellowed badly, but it's still mostly intact and the ink hasn't faded from the sun or washed away from the rain.
The door is already down, and the Taldan poetry book was inside the building. There's not much else af use inside, since a fire destroyed most of the interior and collapsed part of the roof, letting the rains inside.
"Th' note was left here a few weeks past, and it's fearing I am that th' one who left it may have been taken by Brother Swarm. Which would mean one more wraith about, and th' day fled. Even if not, we've a long ride before us, and th' trial on th' morrow."
Sour Heck glances at the note. “Might have been left by the scavenger we found in the bear trap. Didn’t get so far after all.” The bard pages through the poetry book. “More evidence of a crime! Who rhymes ‘hopeless’ with ‘replace’? I’m going to bring this book back to Lepidstadt and throw it in the dungeon next to Andrew to await trial."
Here’s a link to the post where the Beast first quoted Taldane poetry.
"I worry," Eloise says. "Andrew has seemed honest to us, but it would not be difficult to connect this note to him, if you know of his love of Taldan poetry. Well... At least the state of the bones does show clearly that they were not battered to death by a flesh golem's fists. Let's get out of here while we may; I am done with this place and past done."
“Farewell, Hergstag! Overlooking the smelly bogs, the random rusty traps in the streets, the bones of unburied children, the vacant, half-burned hovels and the unholy spirits out to extinguish all life, I rate this about third worst village I’ve visited.”
Sour Heck spends the wagon ride home scribbling notes on his chalkboard.
The wagon ride back to Lepidstadt is uneventful, and Gustav reminds you all that all evidence must be submitted early in the morning. "I h-h-hope you have a g-good explanation for th-those bones, too. G-grave robbery is as likely t-to get the mobs riled as it is to help our c-c-case," he says, looking mistrustfully at the children's skeletons. "And I should t-tell you that the mob is forming after yesterday's p-performance. Still, our c-case looks much b-b-better than it d-did two days ago."
"Our explanation is simple," Eloise says, bluntly. "There was no grave. These are the bones of the children of Hergstag who disappeared and were never found -- until now. We put an end to the thing that actually killed them: a wraith."
Eloise's brow lowers at the word 'mob', and she bares her teeth in an expression that is definitely not a smile.
"Phaw! Even an idiot should be able to see that these poor children were not killed by a big flesh golem. The bones would all be shattered... In any case, Gustav, I would like to request that, once these poor bones have served their sad duty in the judicial process, you remand them to the custody of Pharasma's priesthood. They deserve a proper burial."
“I say we give the bones to the Church before the trial,” says Heck. “I don’t think the judge would approve of us giving testimony using the skulls as puppets, so there’s no reason the bodies can’t be laid to rest immediately. The Pharasman priest who takes charge of them can testify to their condition; having a Pharasman testify for us will look good for the case. And remember, we didn’t destroy these kid’s wraiths, they crossed over--let’s not provoke them into returning by leaving them unburied.”
"Aye, and with a promise to take them back to Hergstag, for burial in th' graves with their names."
ETA: "It's thinking I am that we should speak with Andrew, to see if he knows aught of th' house that burned."
"I-I-I could p-possibly arrange an interview with th-the Bea-I mean, with Andrew, if the s-sergeant is still around. P-please follow me." Gustav leads you to the sergeant, mutters a few words to him, and nods to you. "Y-you're in luck. Tye s-sergeant says you c-c-can talk to him. P-perhaps he can offer s-some wisdom. C-come b-b-back here when you've finished w-with him. You m-may be able to talk to the Pharasmics tonight." Gustav leads you down into the dungeons again, but hesitates to come too close to Andrew.
"Funny-talking friends back! You friends, right? What want with Andrew now?" Still chained to the wall, Andrew seems happy to see you. He shoots a huge, toothy grin that looks like a dog baring teeth and rattles the chains halfheartedly.
Peredur nods in greeting. "It's from Hergstag we've just come, Andrew. We fought th' wraith that killed th' children there. Can you tell us aught of th' house by th' pond, in th' southeast of th' town?"
Andrew shakes his chains despondently, contorting his face and baring his teeth before answering. "Andrew live there. When Andrew find little girl killed by the ghost, bring her back to family, but they chase Andrew with pitchforks and fire. Burn house down. Andrew want nothing to do with people anymore." Andrew begins a screeching, laughing sound, and his face contorts even more.
"'Twas a note pinned to th' door. Do you know th' handwriting?" Peredur motions for whoever has it to show Andrew the note and the charred remains of the poetry text. "And was this your book? If 'twas, we can get a new one."
"We can get you other books 'n all," Eloise says, shrugging. "Do you have any subjects you like better than others?"
Andrew looks at the note, his face still contorted, then shakes his massive head. "Never see hand writing." He takes a look at the book and his face uncontorts. "Want poetry book. Andrew love poetry."
"It's thinking I am to get you such a book. We'll speak to th' lawyer of it."
The stuttering lawyer stands by the door of the prison, watching the proceedings and listening. "P-p-perhaps if you w-went to the university, th-they might have the b-b-b-book f-for The...Andrew." He seems reluctant to get close to Andrew's cell. "If...if there w-was nothing else, I b-b-believe you ww-wanted to t-talk to the Pharasmics as w-well, t-t-tonight?"
"Th' priests first, I'm thinking. Those bones have been out of th' grave far too long."
"Ar," Eloise agrees, shaking her head sadly. "That, and we need to have them sign a chitty for the court. After they've checked over those poor bones for cause of death."
"Let's ask our Pharasman friends for a copy of The Bones Land in a Spiral for Andrew to read, too. Plenty of poetry in there, and I think having Andrew give a reading in court tomorrow might be appropriate." Sour Heck pauses. "There's a friend he'll want to say a prayer for."
"I-if you'll f-f-follow me, I will t-take you to Gravecharge, the c-c-cathedral the Pharasmics worship at."
Andrew waves dolefully at you as you leave the jail cell, while Gustav seems relieved to be out of the confines and the proximity to the Beast. Before long, he stops in front of an imposing domed structure, the walls of which are decorated with a bas-relief of skeletal knights charging in a spiral.
"F-father Eswayne Cidaimoikis is in there. At l-least, he should still b-b-be. P=perhaps he can help you with you c-corpse p-p-problems. It is late, and I m-must b-b-be getting home. F-farewell." Gustav begins walking away, leaving you in front of a massive brass double door with decorated with embossed spirals.
Eloise shrugs, squares her shoulders, marches up to the impressive doors and knocks on them - loudly.
"We require the grace of the Lady of Graves!"
Peredur makes sure his spiral holy symbol is obvious and clean.
When Eloise knocks on the doors, they shift a little bit, revealing that despite their weight, they can be opened with little more than a finger. Before the door can open further, a man's voice, nasally and high-pitched, sounds from beyond the portal.
"What business do you have at Gravecharge at this hour? If you seek to defile the tomb of Baldrumon Vielass and his knights, you shall do so over our dead-oh! You are one of us, sir half-elf? What is it you and your comrades seek? Come in at once!"
The doors slide open on well-oiled wheels hidden in the floor, revealing the inside of Gravecharge. The dome towers perhaps eighty feet above the floor, supported by a latticework of free-standing arches. Around the edge of the round center-room slopes a spiraling ramp, while a massive marble ossuary fills the center of the room. The man at the door, by comparison, is plain and unassuming. He stands only a hair over five feet and his balded head shines in the candle-light, and he wears the robe and skane of a Pharasmic acolyte. He looks at Peredur expectantly, eyeing the holy symbol and waiting for him to speak.
Peredur bows respectfully. "It's from Hergstag we've just come, sir, and we found there th' remains of four children--victims of a wraith. We've brought th' bones to be interred properly."
Souur Heck acts startled by the acolyte’s greeting. “Wait, there’s been a terrible misunderstanding! Don’t bury us! We’re not dead yet, not even Peredur. The dead ones are over here.” He carries the winding cloth with the children’s bones inside with a reverence that softens his mocking tone.
“We were attacked by a wraith, and just barely survived--these heroes destroyed it. These, we believe, were the bones of its other victims, children. We want to make sure their spirits are at rest, since otherwise they’re probably going to haunt us to our own graves.”
“An innocent has been accused of their murders, and it’s possible their spirits won’t rest until the true killer is known, especially since one of them was the innocent’s friend. Nobody knows dead bodies like the church of Pharasma, so we figured you’d see it as your duty to help the courts come to a judgement that would satisfy the Grey Lady. Have your sharpest mortician look over their remains while she prepares their wee bodies for the earth, then send her to court tomorrow to testify about how they died.”
Sour Heck pauses. “We’ll try to find their families, so they can attend the funerary rites. We’ll attend too, if they allow it. If some or all their families can’t be found, we’ll cover the cost. I can think of a dirge singer who might be willing to work for less than his usual rates, if someone buys him enough drinks afterward. Burying children is thirsty work, I’m sure you’re aware. “
The bard fishes a grubby gold coin out of his pants, and polishes it morosely on his sleeve. “Times like this, folks need a bit of scripture to carry them through. Nothing like hearing what things will be like when you’re dead to make you feel glad to be alive. Take this donation and let us take a copy of The Bones Land in a Spiral, good man.
"Not to be pushy, but a piece of paper with a priest-signed declaration that these kiddies were definitely not battered or crushed to death would be high welcome, too," Eloise says.
The next moment, she frowns.
"Pardon my asking, but has someone been trying to get at Balder... Bald... your noted gentleman's tomb and those of his knights? It's just you seemed a bit on edge on the subject."
"Oh no, ma'am. No-one's tried to break into the tomb in years, but when someone bangs on the door this late at night, and that someone isn't panicking about a sudden labor or an unexpected death, it's my duty to Lord Baldrumon, and to the Lady of Graves, to keep a sharp watch." The priest chuckles a few times throughout Heck's speech and looks much more relaxed on seeing that the late-night-door-knockers aren't out for mischief. His expression sours a bit on viewing the wrapped-up bones. "I...I see. I will need to fetch Father Cidaimoikis, and he'll likely be very unhappy to be awakened, but these bones should have been interred months ago, by their condition. I shall return with the Father."
The short, balded priest retreats up the spiraling stairs, muttering a chant to Pharasma as he ascends. He returns a few moments later with Father Cidaimoikis, an elderly man with a long, greying beard. His robes seem to have been thrown on hastily and several of his ornamental symbols have been tangled, but he seems not to care. "Brother Andrieko has told me you are hear to have bodies examined and interred. It must be important for him to awaken me. Follow me; we will take the bodies down to the embalming room and have a look. But first, what is the rush? Andrieko said something about an innocent in danger? We will talk as we walk; the sooner this is done with, the sooner I can return to sleep." The Father steps off, moving briskly down a flight of stairs toward what can only be a basement of some kind. He only uses his spiral-topped staff a few times, mostly gesturing with it in a sign for you to follow.
"You've heard of the person being tried for all the murders?" Eloise asks. "The one they call 'the Beast of Lepidstadt'? Well, this is the second case they've tried to pin on him that we've got proof was not his doing. You may not care for a being of his kind, your graveness, but it goes against the grain to let anyone be burned alive for crimes they did not commit."