"In an ideal world I would like more time to prepare... but we will have to make do and strike before they are aware of the threat."
The Karb Isle Sanctuary.
The crime the Beast is accused of is the arson attack on the asylum of Sanctuary on Karb Isle, which resulted in the fiery deaths of Sanctuary’s administrator, Doctor Brada, and all of his patients, and the blinding of the doctor’s assistant, Karl.
Karl now lives in a small cottage just upriver from Lepidstadt.
What are you doing?
After finishing his prayers, Cedric gives a nod.
I'm ready, If everyone else is, let us be off. Or does someone need more time?
"At my age an opportunity to rest would be a good one but given the circumstances I'll soldier on. Besides I slept through enough of the previous trouble..."
Maria nods. "Yes. Let's depart now. Jutice never sleeps."
Karl ow lives in a small cottage by the river in Lepidstadt. Although blinded, Karl prides himself on his independence. He rarely gets visitors, and when you call upon him, his initial attitude is friendly.
He makes a great show of hospitality, insisting you break bread
with him and help him drink a bottle of wine. If questioned about the events 4 months ago, Karl describes the last image he saw before the fire took his sight—a shambling beast escaping the burning hospital
while he tried to save his beloved master.
He believes that creature was none other than the Beast of Lepidstadt.
Cedric will cast enhanced diplomacy before entering, and purify food and drink when asked to sit for a meal.
When offered, Cedric smiles. I thank you for the food, please, allow me to give a blessing to it.
Thank you for your hospitality, and willingness to help. However, are you absolutely sure, beyond any doubt, that what you saw was the Beast? If you are sure of that, how can you be so sure it was the beast that caused the fires? Could your master have been involved in any shady business that could have rendered him an enemy of someone?
Cedric tries to judge the mans reaction, especially to the last question. He hoped this man wasn't involved, but should that be the case the information they had would likely be all the worse for the man.
Questioning Karl tells you that he sincerely believes that it was the Beast who attacked the sanctuary, however getting more of the details from him it seems that he only saw a large, shambling figure crashing about through the smoke and flames.
"Perhaps you might be so good as to let me transcribe an interview." Gadren will try to get a statement from Karl that is a factual account of what he saw without it being coloured by his opinion and conjecture. "Asking you to sign a statement you couldn't see would be redundant."
Gadren turns to Maria "As a Paladin of Iomedae native to Ustalav in good standing perhaps you would witness and counter sign the uh interview. Your word would likely be held in higher regard than my own... rightly so of course. I'm foreign to this country and have no native organisation to vouch for my character. The truth will lead to justice."
Maria nods. "Certainly. I will vouch for the truth of this interview." Silently, she regards Karl.
While Gadren and Maria talk to Karl, Lazar has a look around the house in case he stumbles upon something interesting.
Maria can detect no evil on Karl ,or any magic on him.
Lazar finds the hut is very simple, everything is laid out and precisely placed for a blind mans use.
Karl happily provides his statement. Once again stating what he saw when the event happened. From his testimony it's clear he was on the fringes and could do little but watch as the fire started with something being smashed and the large shape attacking his master.
He isn't surprised there was a fire, Doctor Brada kept a lot of alchemical supplies in the sanctuary and they were a fire risk.
What are you doing now?
"Did someone examine the Doctor's body after the incident? Was the cause of death determined?"
Karl sighs with some sorrow. "Ah, the Sanctuary burnt to the ground, taking the Doctor and the patients with it. The bodies were never recovered. I'm told they placed graves outside but they are empty."
"Thank you for your time. We'll do our best to get to the bottom of this."
Once they are outside Gadren turns to the others "Perhaps we should look over the remains of the Sanctuary, perhaps something has been missed. We've made good progress but more can yet be done."
Maria nods. "Yes let's investigate the site itself. We need boots on the ground."
"That we'll do" Lazar agrees.
On their way to the ruins, Lazar projects his thoughts out loud. "I wonder if someone else here saw the Beast, or if someone in Lepidstadt saw the Beast there that day and could act as a witness."
Sanctuary lies some 3 miles north of Lepidstadt along the Lesser Moutray river. A narrow track follows the western shore of the river, passing through depressingly gray marshland before arriving at the lonely ruins of Sanctuary on Karb Isle.
The sad remains of a broken building lie on a spur of land jutting
into the river. The burnt timbers of a large house sag into the
undergrowth of nettles and thistles. Nature is taking back this charred ruin, as if trying to erase dark memories. Nearby, a small cluster of gravestones jut from the weeds.
Though called an island, Karb is actually an isthmus and is connected to the mainland. There are a total of 12 graves along the cobbled track
to Lepidstadt. The ruins of Sanctuary (area D1) are choked with fallen
debris and count as dense rubble.
Maria begins looking through the ruins for clues.
Lazar imitates Maria, thinking that's the best way to start. Praying to his Lady for assistance, he sets his mind on not leaving a single stone without checking.
Cedeic will wander the entire area. Giving small prayers while he looks around the whole place for anything that stands out.
Once with the others he will somberly say.
If... the need arises, and if we can find a corpse that is mostly in tact.. I could perform a spell that would allow us to speak with it for a short time. Though, that would require a day of rest. And, would likely be a source of information for us only.
Maria you easily spot the 3-foot-wide hole on the south side
of the ruins (area D2). The entrance opens into a 15-footdeep stone-walled shaft (DC 15 Climb check to traverse).
Cedric your search turns up a charred metal strongbox, warped by
the heat of the fire. The lock is fused, but the box can be broken open with a DC 23 Strength check.
What are you doing now?
Once Maria points out the hole Gadren starts getting out some silk rope "If we go down we should find a good place to secure this. Something of note might have slipped down."
Picking up a small piece of debris he cast's light on it before dropping it down the hole and trying to see what is down there.
Maria works on forcing open the lockbox.
Lazar. What do you mean by Grab 20? Are you asking if you can take 20?
When Maria forces the box, Lazar puts a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful, Maria. It may contain something dangerous."
Maria impressively opens the metal box after a few seconds effort. Inside is a large collection of papers. Unfortunately the heat of the fire was enough to char most of the papers beyond recognition.
However, a DC 20 Linguistics check is enough to decipher the words “Vorkstag and Grine’s Chymic Works,” which appear multiple times in the documents.
Gadren your light reveals a small cellar, the floor 30' below you. A pair of large barrels sit at the bottom of the shaft.
What are you doing now?
"Let me see. 'Vorkstag and Grine's Chymic Works', here and yes repeated a few times. Not too surprising but we should store it carefully. With some more evidence this could help win the case." The wizard carefully stores the paper and puts it into his bag.
Securing the rope he starts to feed it down the hole. "I'd suggest someone skilled in close quarters combat goes down first. Armour might make that tricky but it's silk rope so should bare the weight."
Maria grins. "I'll do it. Gadren, can you make me glow? I'll need some light."
As Maria reaches the cellar and cautiously sets her feet on top on the heavy barrel she is overwhelmed by a foul stench.
The stench comes from the four Ghasts lairing in the cellar, all eyeing Maria with delighted appetite.
What are you doing now?
Cedric moves to peer into the cellar. Lure them in Maria, but do take care.
Gadren casts mage armour on himself. Gripping a scroll case he presses a button and a scroll half pops out. Readying the scroll he calls out to the others. "Anyone who wishes to dive down do so now and I can make sure you land safely."
Lazar, warned about the problems but not being sure about them, decides to take some preventions and casts a spell on him before dropping down to back up Maria.
Maria grins. This is just the sort of situation she was hoping for. But the stench sure wasn't helping... She spits and gags then steps towards one skeleton and swings at it.
Despite her stomach slooshing about badly Maria steps over and badly wounds Yellow
Lazar drops down onto the barrel.
As the now enraged Ghasts swarm to attack the pair Cedric's channel explodes among them.
Leaving only the two Ghasts standing and howling at their flayed skins.
Lazar has taken 16 points of damage, but resists the stench. The party may now act.
Gadren casts aside the remains of the scroll as it crumbles into dust. He resists the urge to go charging down against the undead. Two had already been dispatched. He circles the hole trying to see the undead.
Lazar hops down of the barrel to seek some protection, and discharges an arrow against one of the wounded ghasts.
Maria steps over to one of the ghasts and attacks.
Maria & Lazar quickly dispose of the two remaining Ghasts.
The cellar itself is some 15 feet high, and is a mess, as the remains of Brada’s workshop have been flung about and otherwise thrown into disarray. A ghastly trophy made of burnt heads dangling on chains from an iron candelabrum hangs from the ceiling near the shaft.
Treasure: Buried among the debris in the cellar are 12 silver crossbow bolts in a quiver, a slightly melted gold belt buckle worth 15 gp, and an iron bracelet with silver filigree work depicting a moon eating an owl worth 75 gp.
Perception checks please people
Maria cuts down the heads from chains as they disgust her. While she does so, she looks around the room.
With his cuts still bleeding, Lazar asks for a bit of healing while having a quick look around.
"May anyone hand me that wand we have somewhere, please?"
+2 Vs undead
Here, let me help you.
Cedric channels energy, again healing everyone around.
The ghasts have explored the ruins many times, and came across several burnt bodies of the patients and Brada himself. Those who examine the charred heads and make a DC 20 Perception check can see that while most
of the heads clearly display physical deformities, one does not.
Also among the ruins are numerous shards of charred, broken glass, but a DC 15 Perception check finds one unbroken vial that has rolled into a corner. The label on the vial is very damp, but the words “Vorkstag and
Grine, Chymickal Bleach” are still clearly visible.
From the descriptions given to you the undeformed head was that of Doctor Brada. Who obviously had some form of dealings with Vorstag & Grine.
What are you doing now?
Maria strolls around the ruins, disgusted to view yet more products of the evil in her country.
"Ah there we have it. Something connecting things a bit more." Gadren points out the vial left discarded. "Now it's unlikely but If we can identify the nature of the substance in the vial it might prove useful but it might not even be possible."
Cedric points out the head to the others.
You have the head of Doctor Brada and some evidence that he had some connection to Vorstag & Grine.
You seem to have found anything that is left to find here.
What are you doing now?