After covering Nualia, you enter Sandpoint through the northern gate. It seems the news of your arrival has already spread, as you see people beginning to gather in the doorways of houses or businesses, or running down the street from other parts of town. Their faces show a mix of emotions: lots of joy that all of you have returned safely, but also some sorry or confusion about the clearly dead body Karmid is carrying. You see many familiar faces in the crowd: Aesrick Battlehorn, Guildmaster of the Carpenter's Guild, the halfling Bethana, who works at the Rusty Dragon Inn, the tailor Rynshinn Povalli, Savah the Weapon's Merchant, and the acolyte Kira from the Cathedral.
Turning, Karmid's feet automatically head toward Sherrif Hemlock's office.
"We need to tell him what happened. Let him know who was behind it all: The attack, the fire...everything."
Karmid's voice reveals how much he hurts inside. His physical wounds mostly healed, it was obvious his inner ones would take longer.
"Ro should explain it. Ro? You need to tell him what we...I did. I'll face any consequences of that. The rest of you are blameless."
Since they're not going to be able to quietly slip back into Sandpoint, Ro figures they should minimize their movement around town. Nualia is readily recognozed and remembered in town, and she's hesitant to let her role as the mastermind of the recent troubles come out suddenly. A couple of days before she wouldn't have cared, but now she wonders if maybe some myths, like Nualia's prior death, aren't best left untouched.
There's also one more thing that needs to be done before the whole mess is truly concluded. They need to be sure Gyydd and Windsight delivered Tsuto and the doppelganger to the garrison safely.
"Let's go straight to the Garrison first, quickly as we can."
"Already been discussed Karmid. I made the decision. It's on me."
While on the way Ro says nothing in response to questions from the crowd except for the occasional "There's nothing to worry about." If she makes eye contact with Ryn or Bethana she gives them a smile, but it's hard for her to make it seem genuine.
"While I do not approve of your actions... vehemently, she did attempt to kill us and was a threat. You may have circumvented legal procedure, but it could be considered a safety precaution. If there is a consequence, it is shared among us all. We all went on this journey, we all knew what might transpire, and negligence does not absolve fault." Edgar tries to reassure Karmid, because it really wouldn't do to have any of their number arrested for putting down a threat to the village.
Karmid nods to his friends silently, although their words do not seem to help his feelings on the matter. His head hung as low as possible while he leads the emaciated horse, he plods along not slowing or hurrying.
Lia simply walks along, silently.
Part of her wanted to point out that SHE had followed Ro's decision, SHE stabbed first, and only her failure forced Karmid Hand.
But he would not want to hear that, and nor would Rojava.
They would be angry with her if she insisted on the truth she saw, not wanting anybody else to ease the burden they considered theirs.
Seeing Kira in the crowd, Lia's expression lightens for a moment, and Flutter momentarily danced towards the other Acolyte before returning to his Mistress. Without speaking out loud, Lia forms the word 'LATER' with her lips so that Kira can read it.
Jili moves up and puts a hand on Kharmid's arm. "We're in this together. Let's get this taken care of." She walks quietly through the streets at Kharmid's side giving a long unblinking look at anyone who dares get too close to the group or try to speak to them.
You move quietly through the streets of Sandpoint with Karmid leading the emaciated horse and carrying the body, arriving at the Garrison a few minutes later. People quickly sense your overall mood and keep their distance, although a few who know you better try to make eye contact or shout questions at you.
Sheriff Hemlock is already standing before the Garrison when you arrive along with a number of his deputies. After you briefly explain what has happened, they take the body from you and carry it into the building.
Hemlock then steps closer to the group. "I would appreciate a fuller report on what you saw and what occurred at Thistletop, but you all seem to be a bit ... well, let's just say that I am sure you could all use a bath and a good night's rest. Why don't you come back in the morning, and we'll talk more at length. I don't have to speak to every one of you, so if you would like to appoint a few spokespeople, that would be fine. Now go get some rest."
Feeling a little bit better that they are back in a town. "Well, That was a good reunion. I have some business to take care of and will be back in a few hours. Does anyone want to stable the horses?
Ro offers to stable the horse. "I'm already going that direction anyway."
Ro takes the horse to Goblin Squash Stables and gets him? her? settled. When she's done, she goes to Ryn's place and knocks on the door.
"Take a rest all of you, I'll prepare body for final rites and it's best if you all take a rest since what happened affected you all more then can be said or seen. Let this old dwarf take it from here." Drasven says, him having little to no attachment to Nualia.
"That horse has seen better days and would require expert and loving care." he points out later.
Best for him to have these younglings rest. Abadar above knows what else is going on through their minds.
Karmid will attempt to get a drink at the Dragon, inviting anyone who wants to join him to meet him there, then will borrow or pay for a bed anywhere that's easy find to get some rest.
Back in town, Edgar immediately checks in at the barracks. He was gone longer than anticipated and didn't wish to be disciplined for his absence. He relayed (mostly) the events which had taken place to the ranking individual, before asking how he might be of service while they were back in town. There was not a lot taking up his time when in town, the meeting with Sheriff Hemlock notwithstanding.
Uldar heads with Karmid. He needs a drink, a bed, and a bath, not necessarily in that order.
** spoiler omitted **
Jili will head to the Dragon for a drink and a good meal. "That was not how I expected this to end." She does her best to keep the curious from approaching Kharmid since he is clearly grieving.
"Uldar. What next? Do you think we're done being the "hero's of Sandpoint"? I'm all for going back to my life. It was boring and hard, but not this awful."
After a few hours of looking around, Matrim decides to return to the Inn where everyone has gathered. "This town is so boring sometimes." looking towards the waitress, "Can i get an ale?
Karmid puts down his mead.
"Sometimes it is not boring enough. Gozreh willing, it will be again...eventually. The people here are mostly kind, and good of heart. They deserve some peace and quiet now."
When Rynshinn opens the door Ro comes inside, closing the door behind herself. Without saying anything, the two embrace then eventually kiss. When Ro steps back she says "It's been a rough few days. I really need a bath and a place to stay for the night, would you mind?"
The question is really a formality. Ro had moved all her possessions from the cathedral to Ryn's place before she left for Thistletop. While they draw and heat water, Ro tells Ryn about the group's experiences at Thistletop. She's reluctant to be too detailed though, especially in mentioning particular identities at this time. She's only known Ryn well for a short time, and not much of it as been spent on delving into personal history. In the few years since she first noticed Ryn, Ro has grown up quite a bit, but Ryn has always been exactly the same as far as she can tell. Ro is unsure how well Rynshinn might have known Nualia or Tsuto, if at all.
There's also the question of what exactly might or might not be said to the public. While she trusts Ryn to keep confidences, she figures it's best to punt on all these questions right now, and fill in more details later when things are clearer. Thistletop isn't a subject Ro wants to talk about much anyway.
Despite her fatigue, sleep doesn't come easily for Ro that night. She wraps herself around Ryn, who's warmth is like a balm against all the recent awfulness. But she still wakes early and without feeling well-rested.
Lyrie parted ways with you when you reached the Lost Coast Road. Instead of heading southwest and back to Sandpoint, she instead headed north toward Windsong Abbey. She mentioned that she was trying to eventually get back to Magnimar, and would stay at the Abbey until she could catch a passing ship to the south.
Back in town, Edgar immediately checks in at the barracks. He was gone longer than anticipated and didn't wish to be disciplined for his absence. He relayed (mostly) the events which had taken place to the ranking individual, before asking how he might be of service while they were back in town. There was not a lot taking up his time when in town, the meeting with Sheriff Hemlock notwithstanding.
As Edgar finishes the end of his story, Sheriff Hemlock's face is dark with ... worry, he's pretty sure it's worry.
"Take the day off, Edgar, you've earned it. I don't want to see you until Second Watch day after tomorrow. Get some rest." After this, Edgar is dismissed.
The Rusty Dragon is pretty quiet this evening. News of the group's return has spread about, bringing well-wishers and their offers of free drinks, but everyone has also heard about the body that Karmid was carrying, and that has made everyone a bit on edge. As this was obviously someone from outside the party, many people in town are quite interested in finding out the person's identity.
One person conspicuously absent this evening is Ameiko, as the older halfling lady Bethana is taking care of handing out the drinks.
Rynshinn has enough of her own secrets that she does not inquire about what you are clearly holding back from her, and lets you simply relax. You do get the feeling that she also is holding back something from you, but you have no idea what.
Edgar omits nothing, though he does soften his stance on the execution and tries to paint that in a better light.
"It was an unavoidable decision, the prisoner had already shown more than once she was willing and potentially able to cause harm to us, perhaps even break free. While it is not the decision I would have made, it was likely in the best interests of all those served, and for the safety of our number." Edgar finishes the story with the odd bit about the ghost lecturer and the door with the extremely creepy entity behind it.
As he is at the garrison, he does check on the doppleganger and Tsuto as well, ensuring that at least some of the prisoners they caught remain incarcerated to await trial. He accepts the time off, sure that he could use a break after the adventuring.
In a reversal of the norm Ro is up and getting dressed first, when the light is turning the bedroom from black to grey. She pauses to look at Ryn, still sleeping.
I've always been lucky in the moment, but otherwise not so much. Maybe that's changing. I hope. What you you say Mother Moon? Will it always be just enough, long enough, to keep me alive and nothing more?
She goes to put on some water to heat for coffee, and to find a book or something to occupy her time until it's far enough into the morning to go up to the cathedral.
Drasven is nothing but careful and methodical as he prepares Nualia's body for her final rites. She could have being the enemy but even so it, he felt, still common decency to at least do this, rather then leave her to be torn apart or worse.
The girl has had a history and it affected her friends in ways that would not be seen or felt for some time yet.
The old dwarf sighs.
There still was the matter of making sure her identify wasn't revealed. he was still an outsider and wasn't sure if the people might listen to calming words.
He hoped the room he had requested to prepare this one's body was secure. If she somehow rose from her rest for some reason or other, he would be hard pressed to defend himself.
At the Dragon, Uldar is simply happy to unwind for a bit. Chatting with Jill and the others, he says, "Ya know, it seems a bit premature to simply announce that I'm leaving. I barely had a plan for being here. But when the gods call..." He takes another swing of booze. "Drasven's right though. It seems as though this place has suffered more than its share lately and should get a break. Hell, maybe I can help 'em."
He gets up and pulls over an empty keg. Sitting astride it, he begins to beat a rhythm using his hands and a spoon on different parts of the keg. Along with it, he begins to sing a song, about Shelyn's blessings, swallowtail butterflies, and the fragility of life. It has a bit of a "gather ye rosebuds" kind of feel.
Naturally one of the few people who is aware who Drasven is preparing for a funeral is Father Zantus. He gives the dwarf use of the room used for preparing the dead, but doesn't seem particularly happy about it, especially after Drasven filled him in on all the group had learned on Thistletop.
"We can't have her here long, Drasven." the priest mutters, looking out the window at the night sky. "If enough townsfolk were to find out who we have and what she is responsible for, who knows what they'll do? Her actions have hurt many, and many remember Father Tobyn fondly. They won't take kindly to his killer."
Father Zantus sighs and grabs the bucket to collect more fresh water for Drasven from the cistern outside. He stops at the door and turns back to the dwarf to impart one last message. "Make it quick and then take her from Sandpoint. As a devotee of the Mother of Monsters she can't be buried here. You can give her body to the sea, bury her in the forest, or give her a funeral pyre, whichever yo prefer. Just make sure she leaves the town."
Edgar omits nothing, though he does soften his stance on the execution and tries to paint that in a better light.
"It was an unavoidable decision, the prisoner had already shown more than once she was willing and potentially able to cause harm to us, perhaps even break free. While it is not the decision I would have made, it was likely in the best interests of all those served, and for the safety of our number." Edgar finishes the story with the odd bit about the ghost lecturer and the door with the extremely creepy entity behind it.
Sheriff Hemlock listens carefully to the story, taking notes with a pen and paper, and asking Edgar several follow-up questions.
"I think that you and the others made the right decision. Knowing that evil still lurks within Thistletop, not to mention the many goblins, I'll keep a close eye on it, or better yet, ask Shalelu Andosana to keep an eye on it. She tends to frequent the backwoods of the Lost Coast more than any of us townfolk. With their leader gone, I can only hope that the goblins will fall back to their usual pattern of fighting more amongst themselves."
After Edgar finishes his report, Sheriff Hemlock bids him a good evening. As Edgar is just about to leave, the sheriff calls to him.
"Oh, I nearly forgot, your parents asked to speak with you when you returned. Please check in with them, will you?"
As he is at the garrison, he does check on the doppleganger and Tsuto as well, ensuring that at least some of the prisoners they caught remain incarcerated to await trial.
Both the doppleganger and Tsuto are both still in custody.
Drasven frowns as he hears Father Zantus's words but is unable to refute him. Instead he offers a nod and goes about his duty....
Once done, Drasven finds himself in a slight bit of quandary. Should he go get help or not? He couldn't wait too long....
Deciding to let their wounds heal, the old dwarf instead goes about asking for a shovel, oil, tinder and flint.
His intention to go away out of town to a nearby forest and bury her remains there after lighting it up in a hole.............
"Father Zantus." he begins.
"I'll need some items and then I'll move her body out of here. It's best those younglings get some time to heal but I'll need some help Methinks." he explains his reasoning and his intention.
"Shalelu is a capable and lovely individual," Edgar remarks. That latter half coming out unbidden but he'd had quite enough of omitting the truth for a while, his filter was generally nonexistant and having had to censor his speech it was now strictly not possible. "I should greatly like to see my parents at this time, thank you... I was so caught up in duty I forgot family. It is a blessing." He says his goodbye, and heads towards his parents' home. It was a small affair, by design not by dint of circumstance. His parents were very efficient folk, his father having been a smith since before Edgar's birth, and his mother a cook (both at home and as a part-time occupation at various inns or taverns). They had all they wanted and more besides, so why should they live beyond what they need?
He knocked at their door and was soon ushered inside where the usual pleasantries were exchanged. He hugged his mother and his father gave him a firm handshake, his father's hands still far rougher than Edgar's despite years of military service and weapon maintenance. Owing to the hour, there was not food but ale was offered and partaken of. Edgar was questioned, and he related in vague terms what had happened, leaving out any specifics or mention of danger beyond goblins. It pained him greatly having to omit the truth again so recently, but his parents would understand. It's what was done, you didn't worry them over much and they accepted that there were things you couldn't say.
A time passed between them, discussing the present, the past, thoughts of the future. His parents weren't exactly young any more, and while they weren't ancient by any means they were beginning to pressure him about starting a family. He was a young man now and it wouldn't do to wait until the time for such things had passed. A few "suitable" matches were suggested, a tavern owner who only recently returned to town, Ameiko Kaijitsu who is about his age. With the recent unpleasantness regarding Tsuto, he's uncertain how receptive Ameiko might be to any romantic attentions. She was also a pretty and capable enough individual, not to mention fun to be around, but it was uncertain what sort of pair they would make. Edgar wasn't always the most fun himself.
Ro knows the schedule at the cathedral better than just about anything. She waits until after the first routines of the morning, prayers and breakfast, will have been completed to go. She's never been much for either of those things. Also, as it happens, it's around the same time as Ryn opens her shop.
She gives Ryn a kiss goodbye. "I'll go by later and talk to Olmus about that apartment above the Grocer's Hall, see if it's still on offer. You know, it's looking like I have free time on my hands again now. What do you think about finally having that night out at the theater we'd talked about before?"
Rojava didn't move out of the cathedral just to move immediately back in under somebody else's roof. She wants her own. Besides staying on at Rynshinn's place feels a little like mooching to her, even if she's pretty sure Ryn doesn't mind.
She'd not made any particular plans to meeet anyone else at the cathedral. She sort of figured everyone would be coming there the next day. As she looks around, Ro does find Drasven busy with his unhappy work.
"What has Father Zantus said about her Drasven? I haven't been able guess how he'd react."
Well yes....I actually intend to dig a hole, put her remains in, set that body ablaze and then fill the hole once it burns out. On that night. May not be the wisest of choices....
Jili finishes her dinner and continues to drink. She moves with the music that Uldar is making. "I haven't been here long. I feel like I need to stay and help."
She takes another drink, "I've been staying in small room I'm renting out. Since I'm staying I should find a more permanent place. Maybe a small house someplace. I'm not much of a farmer, and I really don't have many skills. I'll worry about that tomorrow or next day."
"Kharmid? Did you grow up here?"
Karmid grimaces into his mead.
"In the temple here in town. With HER. Other than that, I usually sleep in the forest nearby to be closer to Gozreh. Right now...I just need a warm place to crash. I would think my cell at the temple would have been given to another acolyte by now."
Drasven with Father Zantus goes about his self appointed tasks.
he isn't sure how long it might take but he's determined to see it through. He checks with father Zanthus though to determine a suitable distance.
Drasven and Father Zantus travel out into the countryside, with the Father leading the donkey pulling the cart that it carrying the body. He travels out about 40 minutes to what looks to be an abandoned field on the edge of a forest.
"The family who owned this land in Sandpoint all died out and none of their relations came to make a claim. It's since reverted back to municipal property, but is too far out to be used any time soon. The ground was used for farming and cleared of large rocks, so the digging will be easier here. She'll rest safely here; nobody will bother her."
The two of you get busy diggging and within two hours have a hole large and deep enough to hold the body.
With the hole gauged deep enough, Drasven places the body inside along with all the flammable items. Motioning Father Zantus away, Drasven whispers a quick prayer over her and sets her body ablaze.
Once the fires die down, Drasven with help fills the hole...
"There might be a room here." she looks to the bar and the halfling keeping things under control. She waves her over while she's making her way she whispers, "Or you could stay in my room. I can take a pallet on the floor." She grins slightly. The beds lumpy, but isn't the cold ground."
"We need another drink here. Are there any rooms left we can rent?"
Joining the party late at the Inn, Matrim nods at Jiliana's suggestion for more beer. More beer is always the answer. Did I miss anything?
Karmid just sits and stares into his mug.
"I may just sleep in the woods tonight. I feel the need to commune with Gozreh again."
"We need another drink here. Are there any rooms left we can rent?"
The older halfling lady Bethana nods at Jiliana's question. "Yes, indeed, there are plenty. With the recent goblin troubles we haven't had many visitors coming into town. We've got 4 luxury rooms 2 two gold a night, 7 single rooms for 5 sp a night, and the common room for 5 coppers."
The night passes uneventfully and in the morning you meet again at the most familiar meeting place: the Cathedral of the Many.
Father Zantus, looking a bit bleary-eyed meets you at the front door where he and two of the acolytes (Kira and Moren) are busy raking yesterday's fallen leaves.
He sees you and quickly walks over to you and pulls you out of the earshot of the acolytes.
"Now I don't want you to be vexed with him, but Drasven felt very strongly about getting you-know-who into the ground ... so we did. Drasven's inside on a cot catching up on sleep; neither of us got much."
Edgar stays the night at the barracks, rises early and shaves, passes a brush over his unruly hair, and then heads to the cathedral (clothed, obviously). Listening to the good father, Edgar considers. He shrugs, perhaps because he's tired of speaking for the day, or perhaps because he's just indifferent to the proper disposal of the body. Anything that doesn't rile the townsfolk is good. Though would this rile them? Perhaps that as well. Life is folly, and townsfolk doubly so.