Thame starts to sweat profusely as the ghost wails, his whole body shaking. He looks to the others, eyes shifting towards the front door. "I..I..I need to..to..look at something outside. An important clue, yes!". With that the wizard books it out of the church, his 'nope' alarm sounding its klaxon rather loudly.
Lara shudders at the sound emanating from inside the ruined church. Before she really even realizes what she's doing, her legs start running away from the poltergeist and the rest of her follows.
Although she seems spooked by the poltergeist, Trieste manages to keep her calm. After the roaches, THIS is nothing, she muses.
"Kragg, do we have any method of dismissing this creature? Should we even bother to try at this point?"
"No!" Kaldan gasps, skin going an unhealthy hue as he bolts out of the room.
Know religion
Uncertain of what is exactly going on Kragg thanks Abadar for giving him the courage to see such unholy beings and face them head on. Turning slowly to speak to Trieste Kragg creeps forward. It is a poltergeist. That much I am certain of. That can only mean that it's body is here somewhere and was the source of the blood you found. If we can find it we might be able to put it and the spirit to rest. If we can't find it then I suggest running out of here.
Perception to find the body
Kragg removes the dusty while cloth covering the altar, it becomes evident that it is not a table on four legs but is constructed more like a large box with religious carvings on the front face. A careful
examination of the back locates a secret sliding panel. Opening the panel leads to the discovery of Silas Weatherbee’s dead body. Upon opening the box the strong smell of a rotting corpse fills the dusty
air.
As the body is revealed there's a loud series of tappings and banging.
Seeing the body kraggg calls for Trieste. Trieste, over here. I found a body. As Kragg tries to retrieve the body he scans it to see what happened to the man.
Heal check for cause of death
Trieste hurries over to Kragg's side. She also examines the body to see if a cause of death can be discerned.
"If we can determine the cause of death, can we put this spirit to rest?"
Kragg glances up at Trieste with uncertainty. Perhaps. It is possible the spirit remains till the body is found and the reasons behind his death are revealed. Sometimes all the spirit needs is a proper burial. Other times it may require the destruction of the building if the building is on top of the grave. Just know that if it comes back and doesn't like what we are doing...run!
The other question is why the tapping and banging sounds?
You both can determine the man died of a few stab wounds, but the body is not significantly mutilated. He appears to have been dead about a month.
Thame continues to briskly walk/trot out of the building and into the warm afternoon air of the island. Ah yes...it was much better out here. In fact, the wizard determined that a nice walk in the warm ocean air would do his constitution good at the moment. A walk directly away from the chapel. He looks up and sees that Kaldan and Lara apparently have decided to follow his lead. Smart people, those...those divinely-inspired types back in the church could handle the spirits and spooks and such.
"Is it possible to speak with the spirit, to ask it questions? If nothing else, I have no problem with proper burial or burning the place down. I just don't want us to do the wrong action."
We can try. Kragg replies. It shouldn't hurt. I just don't know if it can speak at all.
As for the proper burial rites...
Know religion
I am pretty sure I know some proper words and rites that would do a follower of Erastil justice.
In an attempt to talk to the poltergeist Kragg calls out loudly, We are hear to put you to rest and give your body the proper rites it deserves. Please, if you can, show yourself to us and help us understand what happened here to you and the colony.
Diplomacy with guidance
You hear a series of rapid tappings with some sort of rhythm to them.
Trieste catches the tapping again. "Either it's trying to point out an object or area in here, or perhaps it's tapping a code...or a song?"
Rubbing his fingers through his grey beard Kragg stares at the body in frustration. It is trying to tell us something but what I don't know. You could be right that it is a code but I was never good at codes myself.
Oh spirit please be patient as we try to help you. Tap once if you are sending a message by code or twice if you want us to find something.
One sharp rap against the top of the altar rings out loud and clear.
Sense creeps back into Lara's limbs and she is finally able to get her legs to go back toward the chapel like she wanted. Cautiously approaching, she calls to those inside, "What was that?!"
Thame collects his senses, or perhaps takes leave of them as he re-enters the chapel. As Kragg and Trieste explain what happened during his strategic retreat, the wizard rubs his chin, trying to piece together the pattern.
"I think I might have the pattern figured out, I think." The wizard frowns in concentration, tapping out a message:
How did you die? What can we do to help you find your rest?
When the others slowly start coming back tot he chapel Kragg is relieved to see that no lasting harm was done to them. He quickly explains what has happened since the others fled. The spirit is placated for now and we are trying to talk to it. If we can find out what happened to him we may be able to put his spirit to rest.
As it seems that Thame is made for such cerebral activities Kragg takes the cover off the altar and uses it as a funeral shroud. He then does what he can to right the place. He cleans up the 2 piles of ash, sets the chalice and scepter on the altar and basically makes the place usable again. In his mind though I think we might be able to find some room in here for a shrine to Abadar as well. On the third wall where there is nothing venerated perhaps.
The tapping is slow and deliberate as if the spirit is making an effort to be understood.
Stabbed. Why did Arkley do it?
As soon as the words are figured out Kragg shoots a look at the rest of them, eyes opened wide. That was not the exact answer he was expecting. Then again he did not know what to expect either. He still lets Thame do the interpreting as he works on the chapel itself.
"Thame, I think the spirit can understand US fine. The knocking is for us to understand him." She smiles and chuckles.
"Also, this longbow is magical. If anyone would like, I'm pretty sure Old One-Eye would be okay with us using it to help his flock."
"Arkley, huh?" Lara muses. "Why would the leader of the colony murder one of his own colonists?"
"Old One-eye is the God of communities." Kaldan says slowly, "Being murdered by his leader would be a terrible betrayal for a Priest of Erastil."
He examines the bow carefully, "Perhaps we should ask the spirit before taking this weapon. It might hold some religious meaning for him?" Looking around warily and still a little unsettled by what happened to him.
Thame frowns at the spirit's words, the implication clear.
Were the ash piles the priest and his wife?
How can we lay you to rest?
Where did everyone go?
Were there more murders?
Books
I must know why
acted strangely for weeks then Arkley attacked me
No killings, just disappearances.
"Anyone know why Arkley did it?" Thame looks around at the rest of them, giving the corpse in the box a wary eye. He didn't want to incite another round of shrieking hysteria.
Thinking that the spirit's words meant there was at least some presence on the island of the first colonists, the wizard considers the quandary. What reason would Arkley have to try to overpower the other colonists and desert the area? He was already in charge...and if they were doing regular colonization work, it shouldn't have been an issue.
Thame shrugs, as it seemed there wasn't much they could do for poor Silas at the moment except to continue searching and hope they came upon a more incriminating document or discovery. "Let's leave him for now and get back to work. He ain't getting any deader, and we have more important things to do at the moment."
"He says he 'must know why'. Is that the key to putting him to rest?"
The wizard nods to the bard, "It seems so, yes."
Kragg hears the insensitive comment from Tahme and shakes his head. No I can't fathom why Arkley would attack him. It is something we will have to figure out eventually. In the meantime though I am going to take the body outside and bury it properly. It may not appease the spirit completely but it is the least that we can do for now.
Gathering the body in the shroud Kragg calls out to the spirit. We will return when we have the answers you seek. In the meantime I will give proper rites to your mortal remains and bury them under the fruit tree. May you be at rest and not disturbed until we can return with the answers you seek.
"My suspicion is that some of the colonists were under some sort of possession. It wouldn't have to be many, only one or two. That would explain many of the phenomena we've seen, though not the ultimate fate of the colonists." Trieste walks with Kragg and helps prepare a grave.
Thame looks around nervously, as though expecting a column of bewitched colonists come pouring out of the nearby wilderness at any moment to overwhelm the hapless adventurers as they dug the grave. "Seriously? Can we wait until we finish clearing the rest of the buildings, at least?"
The wizard crosses his arms, annoyed and rather spooked by the continuing revelations the group kept stumbling upon. It definitely seemed that something malevolent was stirring the pot on the island of Ancorato, and Thame would prefer they be done with this portion of their duty.
This will only take a few moments Thame. Better to put the dead to rest while we can and show our proper respect to the deceased. Kragg gives the wizard a stern look of disapproval. Clearly the man did not understand honoring the fallen or taking care of ones predecessors. Dwarven tradition still held strong with him even after so many years of traveling.
After the burial Kragg returns to the chapel to cast mending on the piles of ash. If that is not strong enough magic then he will gather the ash into two groups as he places the remains in his sack. I am not sure but I want t keep them together in case I can restore them with magics. They might hold some information as well.
Once done in the chapel Kragg is ready to explore the last building and the strange area north of the colony.
"Phaw! Damnable bleeding hearts..." The wizard throws his hands up in exasperation, going back inside the chapel to take a closer look at the magic bow. He handled the weapon, feeling for its magical properties as his companions decided to try out for colony grave digger.
Kaldan aids in the burial and stand quietly while Kragg performs the rites. Thame's attitude puzzles him, but he puts it down to Wizardly oddness.
Trieste assumes Thame's attitude is a Chelaxian thing.
This long, rectangular building appears to be a home, though larger than many beyond the palisade to the south. It has three windows, all covered with wooden shutters, and a single door facing northwest, which is unbarred and slightly ajar.
Simple wooden furniture is in disarray throughout this residence. Tables and chairs are knocked over and pushed aside, though none appear willfully broken. Articles of clothing and household items are scattered across the floor as if they were examined briefly and discarded. A large pallet bed is visible in a separate room through an open interior door. A third room with no windows is next to the bedroom but is completely empty.
Although the home has been ransacked, there is no evidence of foul play or personal violence. A casual search reveals any number of common domestic items, such as boots, spare cloaks hung on pegs, cookware, and plates and mugs—sundries that one might find
in any dwelling.
Perception
Perception
Finding the place tossed Kragg helps search the building for anything unusual. Running his hand along a window sill he finds a gold ring. Inspecting it closely he finds the inscription. Where is that charter? This ring mentions a dear Livvy. Any match that we can find?
After Silas is laid to rest and the group moves on the wizard trudges along, a bit sullen at the interruption but ready to continue. As Kragg points out the ring, the illusionist thinks for a brief moment before replying, "I believe Livvy was the pastor's wife." Thame looks curiously at the general state of disarray without actual violence, having trouble grasping what is going on. Or possibly simply not wanting to acknowledge what is going on.
Looking around and peering under the furniture, the wizard reaches underneath the bed and pulls out a locked box. Without a word he deposits it in front of Lara, grin on his face.
Trieste warily follows Kragg's example. The spirit in the church has made her significantly more nervous.
"There's something over here as well," she says, pointing to a small chest under the bed. "Lara, perhaps you can open it?"
Kaldan looks over the disarray. "Looks like someone was searching for something here?" He looks around thoughtfully. "And this place is larger than most others. Someone of some importance was living here?"
He studies the list of names charter to see if he can find one that would match the Livvy inscribed on the ring?
Kragg almost slaps himself in his ignorance. You're right Thame. The priest's wife was named Livvy. Well then this must be the home to the priest and Livvy. Nice accomodations and shows the community respected the cloth to build such a place for them. I wonder if the books that were burnt was what they were looking for in here.
There is only one “Livvy” listed on the town charter she is indeed the wife of Father Adran Felton.
The small chest contains five bags, each of which holds 5 pounds of powdered silver (worth 25 gp each), four blocks of incense (worth 25 gp each), and a pouch with 100 gp worth of diamond dust. These are expensive material components for bless water, augury, and restoration, respectively.
Exiting the building you notice the strange star shaped footprints and the tracks of the barrels leading from this home that you found at the farm with the drunk Choker.
"So someone or something ransacked the priest's house. Oh, wait... there might be another explanation."
Her face blushes a bit. "Umm, not sure of a delicate way to put this, and it probably isn't the case, but we should explore all possibilities, right? It is not uncommon for someone cheating on their spouse to leave their wedding band behind. This mess could actually represent a... domestic dispute, I guess you'd call it."
She runs her hand through her hair. "Hate to throw out what might be a false conclusion, but it would certainly be less mysterious than most of the other leads we have."
Kragg ponders the idea with a crinkled nose. I hope not. I wouid like to think better than that.
When the tracks are found exiting the building Kragg points them out to Trieste. Perhaps the explanationis right here. That creature came here exploring the place, took the barrels, and left. It did not know what anything really was so left it all jumbled up like this.
Once the locked box is opened Kragg is ready to head north. I think we have explored every building in the colony. The only thing I can think of next is to make a broader sweep of the outlying area to see if there is anything of interest that way. Perhaps the colonists left a trail of sorts that we could find.
"I think your're right, besides we've only got a little of the puzzle. Best not to wrack our brains over whats and whys until we get more facts."
He nods agreement when Kragg suggests a wider sweep is all they really have left to do.
Thame shrugs at the idea of the domestic dispute. He didn't think it likely, but stranger things had happened. Like a whole colony of people disappearing, for instance. As the group prepares to head out, the wizard makes his own suggestions.
"Perhaps we can check out the well in the center of the village, then maybe go to the dock? Perhaps there was a scuffle as these mystery rebels tried to leave?" Thame is anxious to learn what has happened, so he knows how worried he should be going forward.