Kendra listened to all the questions, and did her best to seem composed and able to answer all of them. "Yes, Harrowstone is the old prison on the south side of town," she confirms. "I don't know too much about it, other than it burned down due to an accident of some kind, and ever since, rumors of it being haunted by the former prisoners and the warden have surfaced. All of it completely unfounded, though my father always suspected there was something evil about the place."
Then came the question of her father's passing, and her composure faltered some, but she nonetheless kept her small smile. "It seemed that he had an accident of sorts," she said, her gaze lowering to the floor. "His back was broken, having seemed to have fallen from the upper balcony of the prison, and his face was then crushed by the head of one of the gargoyle statues. The sheriff suspected that he tried to move around it, and it cracked, making him slip, and thus breaking his back so he couldn't move out of the way of the heavy stone."
She seemed to rebound from the recollection of her father's tragic demise quickly, looking back up afterwards. Then came the question about unsavory outsiders, and Kendra shook her head. "There's always rumors around this town," she said. "It's just about all that the townsfolk get to do to pass the time, it seems. Every merchant that comes by gets some sort of story attached to him, whether it's earned or not. I've heard nothing of the sort about necromancers in town, except for the old man's ignorant accusations of my father."
Finally, she turned to Viare. "It's a little early for bed, though," she said, "unless you're more of a nocturnal person? Either way, your rooms are upstairs." She then led them to the second floor, which had a hallway that led to several rooms. There were a total of two that were guest rooms, each fitted with three beds. "I'll let you sort out who bunks with whom," she said. "Use up as much of the storage space as you like. If you need anything, just call for me." After a few seconds, she looked like she was ready to walk off, but then seemed to have an idea. "If you're going to be here for a month, you may want to get familiar with the town," she offered. "I can guide you to a few of the more popular locations, or you can wander around as you wish. Just be wary of the locals; they're sure to spread unfounded gossip about you, especially after the events during my father's funeral."
Toad Tongue considers Kendra's words. The prison seemed like a dangerous place especially if the Professor so easily miscalculated the mass and brittleness of a statue that he killed himself.
On the other hand Toad Tongue thought, There could be some collectables there.... Being torn about the issue, the goblin waited to see if the party would plan to go to the prison so he could tag along.
Inessa brings a hand up to cover her mouth as Kendra relates the circumstances of her father's passing, making an effort to stifle her horrified gasp. Oh, Professor... What a gruesome way to die! Seeing your death rushing toward you and being unable to avoid it. By Pharasma's grace, I pray he didn't suffer. With a shaky hand, Inessa traces the Goddess's spiral over her heart. "I've never known your father to be wrong about anything, Miss Kendra. If he thought this Harrowstone could be haunted by the spirits of the dead, I fear there may be some truth to these rumors after all. At the very least, we ought to bring this information to Father Grimburrow. I only..." The young woman trails off, her idle thought of 'I only wish the Professor had gone to the Church with his concerns' going unfinished. It was not her place to question the Goddess's will, whether she agreed with it or not.
Upstairs, Inessa briefly looks into each of the guest rooms Kendra shows them to, pleased to find there is ample space for all of them. It had been some time since she shared accommodations with another person. Once the Sisters had discovered that she had been marked by Pharasma, as they said, they pulled her from the girl's dormitories and made her stay in a private chamber. Despite their differences and her first impression of the other woman, Inessa is surprised to find that she looks forward to sharing a room with Viare. And with three beds to a room, the sleeping arrangements seemed to work themselves out without any awkwardness or impropriety, she considers, briefly giving a shy smile to the men clustered in the hallway.
"Oh, the driver that brought me here should be waiting at the town's inn or tavern," Inessa says in response to Kendra's offer. "I'll need to get my trunk from the carriage and give him my letter to take back to Kavapesta. If you could just point me in the right direction, I'm sure I can find my way there."
Hoisting his pack over his shoulder as he takes up the rear of the column heading up the stairs, Mathias thinks carefully on Kendra's words. Such a distinct 'accident' sounded suspicious, to say the least. But he would save his thoughts for later. The girl did not need to hear the suggestion that her father was murdered, not now anyway.
At Kendra's offer of the rooms, "Lady Kendra, thank you for your kindness and hospitality. I would assume Jin, Toad, and myself will take one room, leaving the others to the ladies. Unless there are any objections." Expecting no quarrel, he pushes open the doors to the first guest room and tosses his pack onto one of the beds. After checking a few items, and making sure his possessions are secure, he turns back to the door. "If anyone wants to explore the town, I had some experience here a few years back, and would be happy to accompany any of you."
Jin listens as Kendra responds to the various questions. He is very interested in answers, so he does listen carefully and makes mental notes. He has heard of the fire that apparently burned the prison down, but it is good to have confirmation from a local person. He is not so sure about the haunting rumors being completely unfounded, but he does not contradict her on that.
He frowns a bit as she describes how her father died. She is right, it could have been accidental...however, Jin feels that due to the strangeness and the will, it is unlikely that it was so. He feels that there is more to it than is known. Again, though, he does not contradict her.
He doesn't care about the sleeping arrangements as he used to actually sleep in a very small room with no bed at times. Anything above that is a step up. He merely gives a small shrug of his shoulders.
He looks to Inessa. "Do you want assistance in retrieving your trunk, Miss Inessa-san? We could also perhaps look around the town a bit while we go." He looks to the group to encompass them all. "For any who wish to, that is."
A faint blush colors Inessa's cheeks at Jin's offer, but her warm smile is unwavering as she answers him. "I would be very grateful for your help, Zhu Jin," she responds with a nod of her head. "And if we're to call Ravengro home for the next month, it might be good to get acquainted with the town. But, please, call me Inessa. Or ...Inessa-san? That is, if you like, of course." Feeling as if she's shown her ignorance of Jin's culture and its customs, her blush darkens.
Tucking an errant lock of hair behind her ear, Inessa delicately clears her throat, willing away her embarrassment before turning to address Mathias. The imposing man's dark gaze is, unsurprisingly, able to easily dispel any lingering feelings of bashfulness. Although evidently still wary of Mathias's dark heritage, she remains determined to clear the air between them and to that end asks him to join them about Ravengro. "If you wouldn't mind showing us around the town, Sir Gabriel, I'm certain Zhu Jin and I, and anyone else who'd like to come, would appreciate your company."
Mathias had offered to act as a guide to the town expecting no one to actually accept, so when Inessa accepted, he was more than a little surprised. He was, after all, regarded as a monster by most he encountered. She looks like all the others that have judged me... but if I judge her based on that, I am no better. She has been kind, if uncomfortable. And the Professor did invite her here...
Drawing a measure of composure across his face into something that might resemble a smile, Mathias responds, "Please, I am neither a knight nor an anointed agent of any church, so keep it simply to Mathias. I would be happy to lead you around the town. As I said before, I spent a year here in days past, though I doubt any of our reception will be overly pleasant given the day's earlier events. Still, it would be good to take stock of where things stand in Ravensgro at this time. Would any of you others care to join us?"
After quickly looking over her new room, Viare rejoins the group. "I would like to tag along as well. If the locals give us any trouble, it would be best if we were all there. Hopefully, they won't attempt anything stupid." She sighed deeply and looked towards the others. She nervously touches Naleka and waits to head out.
Kendra seems a little shocked to hear that Mathias has prior experience in the small town. That shock soon turns to contemplation as she seems to look a little closer at his face, but whatever she seems to be thinking about, she keeps to herself. "If that's what you wish, then I won't argue," she says with a small smile returning to her lips. "If I may be honest, I do think I would like to spend some time to myself to...do many things, really. I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise, but there's a lot on my mind, and I need time to just...think." With a small bow, she then dismissed herself to a room down the hall, which could be assumed to be her own bedroom.
Much of Ravengro hasn't changed as far as Mathias's memory goes, aside from perhaps a change of farmers, a few more houses, and the owners of certain stores. The time of day finds most workers out in the fields, so very little of the villagers are mulling about the town, though in a few hours, that would very much change. Until then, most of the town worth exploring would be the town square, where the stores and town hall were located, Mathias could possibly surmise.
Toad Tongue didn't say a word he really didn't care much for the town but something to do he did care about. With the others seeming to want to explore Ravengo, Toad Tongue assumed a place near the door waiting for the others to lead the way.
Toad Tongue reminded himself, As the elder always said when a goblin goes to a human town, If you have their back: stab, stab, stab. If you have their front: run, run, run.
Mathias stands for a few moments, a little surprised by how quickly everyone was ready to accompany him into the town. It has been some time since anyone had been open to walking beside me. What is their game? No, these people, they are good folk, like the Professor. And perhaps, lost souls like me.
Mathis straightens his overcoat, then a strange expression develops across his face - could it be a smile? "Well then, it would seem we are off to explore all the wonders that Ravengro has to offer. It's been a spell, but it should all come back to me easy enough." Heading back down the stairs, he pushes open the front door then turns back toward the rest of the group. "Ladies, after you."
As the company assembles outside the door, Mathias inquires, "So, what would people like to see?"
Inessa eyes Kendra as the woman admits to wanting time to herself. It seems wrong to leave her alone in her grief, but it occurs to the young woman that the greater wrong might be to ignore Kendra's wishes to soothe her own conscience. "We shouldn't be gone too long. Is there anything we can get you while we're out?"
After bidding Kendra farewell, Inessa moves downstairs with everyone else. "Come along, Vizaresh," she calls into the parlour while donning on her cloak. It would have made her feel a bit better about leaving Kendra alone if her guardian could have stayed, but, alas, their bond is such that he would grow weak in her absence. Nodding her thanks to Mathias for his chivalry, Inessa steps out onto the stoop to wait for the others, her companion following behind dutifully.
"Perhaps we could visit the market or a general store, if Ravengro has one," Inessa offers in response to Mathias's question when no other suggestions seem forthcoming. "I was thinking we might like to buy some supplies for our stay while we're out? I don't think Kendra was expecting to have a houseful of guests for a month, so it might be nice to replenish the larder. It would be one less thing she has to worry about."
Viare smiles at Mathias, "It doesn't matter to me. I would rather not be let to my sorrows right now. Company is good for the soul." She strokes the viper that is wrapped around her forearm.
She moves the viper to her neck and attempts to conceal her with her hair, "Not everyone wants to speak to someone with a viper on their arm," She explains.
Mathias leads the company toward Ravengro's small town center. As they walk, he begins to share what he recalls from his time here previously. "There is no real market per say, though occasionally traveling merchants will set up in the town square. But there we can find most anything that Ravengro can offer. There is the General Store, which has most basic goods that a farmer or traveler might have need for. Across the square is the forge, run by older dwarf woman, which offers quality blades at a reasonable price. There is Jominda's Apothecary - she was one of those gathered behind us at the funeral - where you can get various alchemical goods. Oh, and the Silk Purse. It's a moneylender that often has goods for sale that were put up in place of a loan."
Mathias' explanation comes to an end just as they reach the center. "Oh, there is a sort of magic school just north of here, called the Unfurling Scroll. Don't know much of what they might offer. And the temple of Pharasma is across the river."
Jin thought about laying his hand on Viare's shoulder in what he hoped would be comfort and not an intrusion of her privacy but he didn't know her well enough to ascertain which way it might be taken. So instead he simply walked beside her as they made their way through town. In a quiet voice he said to her, "But not everyone will judge you for that. Some will be proud to stand beside you."
After that, he listened Mathias as he spoke a bit about what was available in town and pointed things out. He gave a nod. "It sounds as though the General Store would be a good place to stop then, to purchase some supplies as Inessa has suggested."
Due to the time of day, as the party gets to town square, there aren't very many locals milling about, but there are a few farmhands popping into the various stores to get some supplies. Most give the party a curious look, a couple with suspicion thinly veiled. Some visibly reel back upon seeing Naleka wrapped around Viare's arm, but none seem brave enough to comment on it.
As the group mills about the general store, a few of the farmhands are inside, each looking to get some replacements for various farm equipment, such as pitchforks, rope, and sickles. As Inessa looks to interact, she manages to get a couple of them to talk, but all they seem interested in discussing is rumors. Perhaps due to the professor's recent death, as well as what may be on Inessa's mind, Harrowstone seems to be the subject of their rumors.
The first farmhand appears to try and spook Inessa, sporting an eerie, if playful grin. "They say that Harrowstone's executioner still guards the western balcony of the prison, and on some nights, his scythe can be seen patrolling the balcony on its own, as if carried by an invisible spirit!"
The second then slaps the first on the shoulder, as if scolding him. "The stories that Harrowstone are just that; stories!" he chides the first. "Sure, the ruins are dangerous, but all the talk of hauntings and ghosts can just be chalked up to all the vermin that live there."
After that, the woman behind the counter of the shop--Marta Avanaki, one of the owners--just laughs and shakes her head. "Hey, now don't go scaring every stranger with all the fairy tales of that old prison," she playfully scolds both of them. "You might make them not want to spend their silvers!" She then properly welcomes the party, rather than just watch them from afar. She offers to answer any questions, as long as it pertains to the store and not the prison.
She appreciates Jin's kind words, "Thank you, that means a lot to me." Maybe coming here will have some good to it.
Viare speaks to the farmhands, "I personally love stories such as these. What other hauntings and such occur? Tell me everything about it!" She smiles sweetly, genuinely seeming excited about the topic of hauntings. Her demeanor is an attempt to invite the first farmhand to continue his "stories". I just want to know what we might be dealing with. All stories have bits of truth.
She turns to Marta, "Pleasure to meet you ma'am. I am Viare. How long have you owned the shop?"
Upon entering the general store Toad Tongue begins to examine any merchandise that he can get his hands on. After some time examining items he concludes, No stories to tell, ick.
His ears are perked by the interest Viare shows in the stories of Harrowstone. The goblin proceeds to inserts him self in front of the farmhands and reiterates Viare's sentiments, You speaks of Harrowstone, tells us all you know!
Harrowstone has stories to tell. Toad Tongue smiles broadly at his own thought.
The soft smile Inessa has after finding villagers willing to speak to them slowly falls as the first farmhand spins his frightful tale. Miss Kendra said that the Professor fell from the balcony... Could the spirit of this headsman have been involved? A chill crawls up her spine at the very thought, one that has the young woman reaching for the silver spiral at her throat in an attempt to ward off the dreadful feeling. The smile returns, albeit a bit strained, when the second farmhand insists the stories are only that and nothing more. It's a comforting thought, one Inessa wishes she could believe, but the circumstances surrounding Lorrimor's death and the new information brought to light in his journal entries made that all but impossible. There is little doubt in Inessa's mind that something sinister lurked in Harrowstone Prison.
Bright blue eyes glance inquisitively at Viare as the other woman eagerly admits to her fascination with macabre tales. She tries not to judge the woman for her tastes—after all, the Professor's own scholarly interests tended toward those things dark and morbid. Inessa, however, is of the opinion that there is enough darkness in the world without needing to spread scary stories, and so politely excuses herself to speak with store owner on more mundane matters.
"We're going to be staying in town while Miss Kendra settles her affairs," Inessa tells the proprietress after proper introductions have been made. "Is there anything you can recommend in the way of staples or supplies? I'm afraid none of us were expecting to be asked to stay for a month, Miss Kendra included."
Jin raises an eyebrow as Viare attempts to engage the locals in conversation. The talk is a little disturbing. Jin knows all too well that spirits exist, and the kind of danger the supernatural can present to mere mortals. He hopes not to have to encounter a 'ghost'. They do not sound pleasant, especially the ones purported to be at Harrowstone.
He hides a smile as Toad Tongue attempts to...'help'...in his own way. And then Inessa steps in to speak to the owner of the store, frowning only slightly at telling publicly what might be best-kept private given the reaction some had at the funeral to them.
Nevertheless, he stays silent and tries to adopt an unassuming and non-threatening pose as he listens.
The two farmhands seem a little perplexed at the insistence that more be told about the prison, especially when Toad Tongue pipes up. "Ain't much more to tell," the skeptic one says, shrugging his shoulders. "We know just 'bout what everyone else does. Fire killed all the prisoners and jailers a long time ago, and been abandoned ever since."
The other one who seemed to believe that the prison is haunted butts in afterwards, sporting another grin. "Oh, but you forget," he starts, "that on some nights, you can hear the warden's wife--don't remember her name, but it's on the Memorial--wailing from behind the walls of the prison! They say she picked the wrong night to visit her husband, and she saw him philandering with another woman, and she started the fire herself! She regretted it the moment she saw her husband burn alive, and took her own life while crying, and now her ghost weeps for her own sins for all eternity!"
The skeptic farmhand then punches him in the shoulder. "No one believes that one, and neither should you!" he chastises him, then turns to the party. "Either way, best you strangers stay away from that prison. It's got nothing but trouble, ghosts or not."
Marta just shakes her head at all of the theatrics and stories, rolling her eyes as if she's heard it all before. Rather than comment further, she turns to Viare to answer her question. "Been open quite a few years," she says pleasantly. "My husband, Luthko, inherited it from his father, who inherited it from his father, and so forth. This store was built back when this town was meant to host the prison guards way back when. Now it's just a farming village, so we sell what farmers need, as well as what the occasional merchant or adventurer might want."
She then tilts her head at Inessa, seemingly surprised at the news the party will be staying in town. "Staying with miss Lorrimor?" she tries to confirm. "Terrible shame about her father. He was a good man. She looks down at the floor for a few seconds, before looking up with a smile. "If you plan on working while you're here, you'll need pitchforks, sickles, rope, and what have you. Only thing worth doing around here for coin is farm work. The farmers are always looking for new hands, and they rarely get them. Posting Poles around the square will lead you there. Otherwise, just get your food and basic needs here or elsewhere around the square."
Viare shakes her head sadly, "That is such a tragic way to die. Hopefully all of their souls found peace." Well that might be helpful, but it's probably just a story to keep men from cheating on their wives. I wonder what really started that fire... "Thank you for sharing your stories with me."
She glances at Inessa, hoping that she doesn't tell her where exactly they are staying. I don't want the locals from earlier getting wind of where we are sleeping. Who knows what they would decide to do.
"Is there anyone that you would suggest we work for?"
Inessa nods solemnly at Marta's words, but whether she is confirming that she and her companions will be staying at the Lorrimor House or that it was indeed a shame about the Professor's passing is ambiguous at best. In spite of her sadness, the shopkeeper's words warm her heart. It was nice to hear that more villagers than those who attended the funeral thought highly of the late Petros. It gave her hope that the men who dared to interrupt the procession to voice their baseless accusations were part of the town's minority.
"Thank you for your suggestions," Inessa tells Marta before turning to the others. Though she notices the looks she receives from Jin and Viare, if the unsuspecting young woman reads anything remotely negative in their gazes it is merely attributed to the former's seeming stoicism or her own lingering unease of the latter. Still, she gives them both a subdued smile as she says, "I didn't bring much with me in the way of coin, but if any of you see anything we could use, I'm more than happy to help pay for what I can." Visiting the market had been her idea, after all. It seems rude to the Pharasmin not to offer to cover their expenses.
Leaving the others to their conversations with Marta and the farmhands, Inessa peruses the various shelves of the general store. After a bit of searching she is able to find some of the staples she had set out to procure; travel cake mix, jars of sugar, sacks of potatoes. Items that even someone with her lack of skill in cooking would be able to make a meal out of. Anything to help ease the burden of their stay from Kendra's shoulders. As she tries to think of the things she might be able to prepare for the group in the coming days and weeks, she also tries, unsuccessfully, to bring one of the sacks of potatoes to front of the store. And speaking of burdens...
Glancing over toward her companions, Inessa notices that Mathias is the only one who seems not to be busy conversing with the townsfolk. Moreover, it would be a good opportunity to speak with him privately about her earlier rudeness at the funeral. And so steeling her nerves, she asks the man to join her for a moment. "Sir Gab—I mean, Mathias," she corrects herself with a self-conscious smile. "I don't mean to impose, but would you mind helping me with these?"
Marta's unable to really single anyone out for employment, as all pretty much have the same work for the same pay, but does warn them away from Gibs Hephenus, citing that he's a cantankerous old man that doesn't like outsiders, especially non-humans. The party already knows this, as he's the one that interrupted the funeral proceedings just that morning. Aside from that, she insists that the party buy something, and helps out with the sack of potatoes after Mathias hoists them to the counter. She charges Inessa about few silvers for her purchase, giving her service with a smile.
During the rest of their exploration, the party stops by the The Laughing Demon, the local tavern. They meet Zokar Elkarid, one of the townsfolk that attended the funeral. He recognizes them, as at least one of them, being a goblin, is hard to forget, and he calls them up to the counter and gives them each a round of corpse chowder, on the house in honor of their fallen friend. He chats them up as some of the other patrons drink, eat, and gossip. Zokar has nothing but good things to say about the late professor, and seems to love laughter.
Inessa is likely to want to go to the temple, and while it may not be as grandiose as the one she was in, it feels comforting enough, with several stained glass windows depicting images of Pharasma and her various psychopomps. A couple of acolytes greet her, apologizing that Father Grimsburrow is resting and can't greet visitors. They explain their services, when sermons are held, and what they offer to those in need. Should Inessa show her own sign of the faith, they acknowledge this and say they're glad to see an outsider that shares the faith visit the town, but otherwise offer nothing extra.
The last place on the list of the party would probably be the Harrowstone Memorial, as one of the farmhands mentioned the warden's wife's name would be on there. It's a stone statue depicting the warden, standing in a heroic pose, looking like he's holding something back. A plaque rests before it, listing the names of all who died in the fire a century and a half ago. The wife's name is indeed listed among those who died: Vesorianna. Of note, none of the prisoners' names are listed on the plaque.
Once the sun starts to set, the party heads back to the manor, where Kendra welcomes them back. She has prepared a meal, each person getting a nice Sheppard's pie. Each one is a little overcooked, but the flavors are enough to get by on. She also serves some wine, which she explains is a vintage that her father had kept stored away for the right occasion, and as morbid as it may be, she figures he wouldn't have it any other way than to have it served in memory of his passing.
The night falls, and everyone manages to get some sleep. However...
The morning comes, and Kendra greets the party, having made breakfast, which is a simple fruit medley. As the party settles in to eat, however, there's a knock at the door. Kendra leaves to answer it, and it's once again Councilman Hearthmount. He claims that there's been an incident, and he thinks everyone should come investigate. He sounds a little worked up about it, and is very insistent that the entire party goes. Kendra, in a fluster, just asks the party to accompany her, as it seems to be a rather big deal.
The party is led back to the Harrowstone Memorial, where a crowd has gathered. On the base of the statue has been vandalized with a red "V." Just about everyone is confused about it, and a lot of them are gossiping that the visitors had to have done it. After a while, the sherrif, Benjan Caeller, approaches the group, and says that to be professional, he has to question the party about the vandalism. Even though the party can't answer, as none were clearly involved, he still asks to see them all down at his office. He tips his hat to Kendra, and says that she's not invited to the party at the jail.
Viare awakes with a jolt. She has sweat just rolling down skin, all over her body. She takes a deep breath through her nose - smoke. She can smell the smoke. Just take a another deep breath. There's no smoke, it was a dream. She takes a moment to center herself and clear her senses. This dream had meaning. There is no way that I would dream of fire here and it not have a deeper meaning.
She gets up from her bed and looks for Naleka, being careful not to wake Inessa. "Come here my sweet," She speaks softly as she picks her up and places the viper on her shoulders. Viare sits on the floor, crosses her legs and meditates for an hour to prepare her spells.
-----
The statue had a V on it. V for Vesorianna? Perhaps this is connected to my dream somehow.
"Is this really necessary Sherrif Caeller? I think it is quite obvious that none of us participated in this." Naleka wrapped herself around Viare's arm, positioning her head so that she could look at the strangers around them.
Toad Tongue examines the statue, "Too pretty for a goblin, I guess it wasn't me." he remarks.
"I too would like not to be invited to the party at the jail. The evidence is right here, it's too pretty I did not do it. I may have thought about it but I certainly did not do it."
At the shop, Inessa hands over payment for the goods, cheerily returning Marta's smile. A lifetime of having such responsibilities handled for her by the Church has left her inexperienced with such things as purchasing foodstuffs, and her poor understanding of the value of simple goods shows as she takes no notice of the increased cost that the shopkeeper charges. If anything, the naive young woman thinks that the proprietress might be undercharging her considering how personable the woman has been. Thanking Marta for all of her help, Inessa takes her leave, exploring what sights Ravengro has to offer with the others before eventually returning to the Lorrimor Place for a night's rest.
The next morning, Inessa wakes a handful of minutes before Viare has finished her meditation. If she notices that the other woman seems unsettled, she makes no comment on it and instead looks on with a strange mix of curiosity and wariness. While the Pharasmin is no stranger to morning prayers, she has a suspicion that the woman's ritual has little do with religious devotion. Of course, the possibility that Viare is praying ought not to be disregarded, but, to Inessa, that invited the question: whom was she praying to?
As Viare finishes her routine, Inessa bids her good morning with a kindly smile that belies her persistent misgivings about the woman. After a bit small talk, Inessa kneels beside her bed and offers silent orisons to Pharasma. Her prayers last no longer than a minute, and at the end they are answered in much the same way as they typically are. That is, with the holy symbol of Pharasma momentarily flaring to life on her brow and Vizaresh suddenly manifesting before her with the sound of flapping wings.
At the site of the Memorial, Inessa begins to feel slightly apprehensive as her fellows argue against the Sheriff's request. While such a thing might ordinarily go unnoticed by the young woman, she is able to tell that the Sheriff does not truly suspect them of the crime. Although, whether his judgement of them would change should they refuse to respect to his authority was another question entirely. Turning to the others she reasons, taking care to keep her voice from carrying too much, "We only cast a larger shadow of doubt upon ourselves by refusing to cooperate. Please, let's just do as the Sheriff asks. I'm certain that he only wants to speak with us in private."
Viare sighs as she listens to Inessa speak. "I hate to say it, but you are right Inessa. We only incriminate ourselves if we refuse to go," She turns towards the Sheriff, "Please lead the way Sheriff."
After Inessa and Viare say their piece, Toad Tongue sticks his tongue out in defiance.
That shadow of doubt seems to already be upon the party, as while they're being led away, the gathered townsfolk whisper among themselves fervently about the party, some claiming they saw the one with the snake walking around during the night, or how the goblin was definitely plotting trouble since he first got around. Even Kendra seems to look at them with some slight suspicion, but she nonetheless assures the party that everything will turn out fine and that she'll see them back at the manor. The crowd parts for the sheriff as he walks through them, the town seeming to have a sense of respect for him.
Benjan does indeed lead them to the local jail, a small building that holds only two cells, with an office area nearby. It's completely empty when they arrive, not a single soul locked up in the cells. The sheriff lets the party enter first, and closes the door once they're all in. "Crazy business 'round these parts," he says with a sigh. "Everyone's been on edge, claiming they're seein' things that ain't there, then that Lorrimor died, and now this. What's the world comin' to?"
Taking a seat behind the desk in the office area, Benjan simly kicks his boots up on top of the desk, folding his arms against his stomach. "It's supposed to be an easy job 'round here, y'know?" he jests, sporting a smirk. "Ain't no one to cause more trouble than a bit of drunken revelry, and no one ever fits themselves in one of these here jail cells for more than a day. Hell, most of my boys just sit 'round and play cards."
With another sigh, he tilts his head up to look at the party. "Now we got all sorts of problems not a damn one of us can prove," he says, spitting into a nearby spittoon. "Got one boy tryin' to find some missing cattle, 'nother's tryin' to find who damaged some crops, and my last one's tryin' to find out what some blood stain and a missing farmhand has to do with each other. It's all madness."
With another small sigh, he seems to get to the point. "So, that's where I can use y'all. I suddenly ain't got the men to investigate this here vandalism. Townsfolk ain't good for nothin' but gossip, and right now they're all sayin' you lot got somethin' to do with it. Makes sense, if you don't got any sense 'bout you. What better way to get them to shut up if y'all find out who really did it." As if to add more incentive, he reaches in the desk and pulls out a small sack, which clinks with the sounds of coins as he slams it on top. "Ain't no one here gonna say I don't pay my dues for those who do my work," he assures them. "Twenty gold a piece for y'all if you find my culprit."
Inessa huffs a quiet sigh as the sheriff leads them away from the memorial, the slanderous murmuring of the crowd deafening to the young woman. It is a far cry from the reception she is used to receiving from the communities she visited. Is this the treatment they have to face every day? Inessa wonders, her blue eyes swimming with equal amounts of pity and guilt as she glances at her companions. As they leave the accusing stares of the townsfolk behind them, Inessa wishes there was some way she could help right the wrongs that her companions must daily endure.
Hands folded neatly in front of her, Inessa stands before the sheriff's desk, giving the man her undivided attention. The more he waxes on about the recent troubles to befall Ravengro, the more wary Inessa grows about the lawman's reasoning behind bringing them in. Had she misjudged his intention back at the memorial?
The tension she feels suddenly bleeds away when the sheriff at last asks for their help in finding the culprit. Breathing easier once more, Inessa waits a few moments to regain her calm composure before addressing Benjan. "Well, considering the timing, I guess it's hard to fault the townsfolk for suspecting us. Thank you for giving us the benefit of the doubt, Sheriff Caeller."
After looking to the others—an attempt to gauge their willingness to take the sheriff up on his offer—Inessa gives her answer. "Our first responsibility is to see that Miss Kendra has all the help she needs in order to get her affairs in order and to settle a few remaining matters on behalf of the Professor. I hope you understand. But, if we can help the town in any way during our stay, I'm sure I speak for my friends here in saying we'll be glad to do so." She again turns to glance to her companions as she says so, looking for confirmation or, in Toad Tongue's case, begrudging acceptance of her words.
Viare pauses for a moment while listening to both the Sherriff and Inessa. "Of course we will put Kendra's needs first, but we should look into the matter. There could be more going on than meets the eye." She shudders slightly, thinking about her dream. She needs to tell the others about it, but now is not the time.
A small pucker forms between two pale brows as Inessa considers the implications behind Viare's words. Even after Sheriff Caeller had detailed the unfortunate occurrences plaguing Ravengro, the young woman had not considered that an act as relatively innocuous as vandalism might have been connected to something more sinister until the other woman had pointed it out. "I agree..." Inessa says haltingly, her mind clearly struggling to wrap around the dark motives Viare has hinted at.
Then, like clouds parting to reveal a ray of sunlight, the worry on Inessa's features fades, leaving a small smile in its wake. "As I said, we are happy to help." Thinking that their business with the sheriff is concluded, Inessa means to take her leave when, on glancing at the sack of gold sitting on Benjan's desk, a sudden thought occurs to her.
"Sheriff Caeller, would you allow us to explore the ruins of Harrowstone Prison? The Professor... he was concerned that some spirits might not have been laid to rest." Slim fingers find the silver spiral at her throat, the holy symbol of Pharasma, and hold it up for the sheriff's inspection. "As a devotee of The Lady of Graves, I hope you can understand my desire to make sure such souls find their way to the Goddess."
.
The sheriff furrows his brow at Inessa as she asks to investigate the old prison grounds, looking as if he's sizing her up for something. He seems to think about it, his glare almost overwhelming for a few seconds. Eventually, he softens his gaze, and spits in his spittoon again. "Ain't got any laws against going 'round the old prison," he says. "That don't mean you ain't gonna look even more suspicious to the townsfolk if you go pokin' your nose 'round it, though. They got stories 'bout it, like how it's evil, cursed, haunted...you name it, they've probably said it. I personally can't recommend it; after all, that's where that professor found his end. Best leave it be, unless you're lookin' to follow him to the grave, too. That is, unless you're tryin' to say the place has some sort of link to my vandal. You ain't suggestin' that, are you?"
Anna arrived at the police station in her usual adventuring gear. Her long black hair was tied back into a neat pony tail, the streaks of red in it running along the side. Her pale skin was a clear indication to her aversion to the sun. Her eyes were an ice blue that darted around the room. Hanging around her neck was a small holy symbol of Desna, one wing being a deep red while the other was a bright starlight silver.
She shifted from foot to foot as the sheriff spoke. It was true that she was a bit curious about the prison as well. It was a bit obvious something strange was going on with it, considering that the professor met his end there. Especially with what his journal had indicated about possible necromancers. Still first things had to come first. “I guess it might be. We should probably start looking at the scene of the crime though. If we want to catch the vandal we need to go where we know he was. Maybe we can find some tracks he left something. I mean he needed a lot of paint to write that V. Maybe he left a bit on an elbow or stained his clothes. I don’t suppose you would have any idea on who would deface your memorial do you? Maybe some stupid kids with too much time on their hands?” Anna asked, wandering the room as she spoke. “I do want to check out the prison at some point though. If not to be on the safe side than just to satisfy a morbid curiosity.”
Wearing silk robes embroidered with the angelic ankh of Sarenrae, scimitar at her side, Nasrin leaned against the wall while listening to the Sheriff. Her skills lay in combat and the arcane, rather than investigation, but what Caeller had said about trouble brewing up had stirred her mind up. A cabal of necromancers was plotting, they may had killed her mentor as well, what was to say that they wouldn't try to seed paranoia and strife in the town? And necromancers had a taste for the macabre that was unrivaled, so...
"Words have power." she said, drumming over the pouch holding her spellbook. "Are we certain it was paint?"
Looking blankly at the others, Sister Zephra tries to hide her nervousness. All of the Professor's friends seem so smart! Thank the goddess that she has seen fit to send these clever folks to help him. She smiles sweetly at the sheriff, grateful that he is being so kind to a group of strangers in his town. "We won't let you down, sir," she says with confidence, her high-pitched warbling voice seeming a bit out of place beneath her militant demeanor.
She tries to listen to their various contributions while absently singing a hymn to Pharasma inside her head. She nods fervently to Inessa when she speaks of helping Kendra, and looks puzzled and troubled as Nasrin asks if it was paint. "What... what else could it be?" she involuntarily blurts.
Rheeg gulps. "Er, that's... morbid. But possible. Blood, I suppose could be a valid liquid to use to deface the monument. Red does seem a striking color. Or maybe it is just paint, made to look like blood to draw some sort of point."
He closes his eyes in contemplation. It is a hassle to solve this matter, but I would like to gain the good wishes of the sheriff before I head to the prison. This seems the best way to do so.
"Anna is correct. We cannot learn anything here guessing the semantics of the crime. We should study the scene itself, and draw conclusions from there." Rheeg says, adjusting the collar to his leather armor.
Sister Zephra stares at Rheeg and Nasrin in horror. "Blood? That's... that's so gross," she says with emotion. "And... and so much of it! What kind of person does that?" She wrings her hands like she wants to wash them, and steels herself for the close examination that is soon to come.
"The kind we're hunting." says Nasrin simply, an eyebrow raised. She thought it weird for a Pharasmin to be this innocent, but not everybody had been raised listening to terrifying tales of Geb and its undead rulers. More than anything, she felt sorry that such purity had to be spoiled by the harsh reality, if Lorrimor's suspicions were to be true. "Master Sheriff, I believe it safe to assume that we'll assist you in this."
The sheriff seems to have no opinion on the discussion of whether paint or blood was used to vandalize the Memorial; he admits that in the moment with the crowd, he didn't get a good chance to inspect it. The one thing he does state, though, is that if they happen to figure out who the culprit (or culprits, even) is, he'd like to know before they do anything rash. If they can't help but defend themselves from the threat of violence, though, they're free to take whatever actions they deem necessary.
With that, it appears that Sheriff Caeller has other issues to get to, and wishes the party luck. As they head to the statue again, while passing through the town square, they happen to pass by a group of girls playing skip rope on the side of the road. They seem rather coordinated and rehearsed in the motions, the entire sequence done in an almost eerie fluidity. As they jump and take turns, they chant a rhyme in Varisian.
Sister Zephra does not speak Varisian, but she is chilled by the song. "The children in this village are very well-organized," she says, stating the obvious. "Did the air just get colder? Brrr. At the temple where I was raised we sang hymns to Our Lady of Graves, but never like that. Professor Lorrimor said once that some of the unquiet dead can take control of others... do they seem possessed to you, Viare?" Her eyes widen. "V!" she breathes. "Maybe someone was writing you a message? Do you know anyone else in this town?"
It was Lorrimor himself who taught Nasrin some Varisian, back in Absalom, and she became quite fluent while crossing the country. She unconsciously files the words of her song in her mind, passing over them as she would a spell, when something clicks in her mind. The young woman starts speaking quickly, fragments of phrases as her brain outperforms her tongue, tracing small patterns with her right hand.
"Splatters spell her name just right- on the warden's statue- with a hammer killed his wife- but Vesorianna killed herself- or did she?"
It could mean that, when the warden's wife caught him being unfaithful, he murdered her? Then he set the fire to cover his tracks, but got careless and died. Or perhaps she did. Either him or her could become vengeful spirits, to be summoned by a cabal... Is this connected? A lot to guess from a children's song, though. Don't be rash, Nasrin.
"Who is this song about?" she asks the girls in their tongue.
As Nasrin approaches the girls, all of them immediately stop their game and stand still, looking a little afraid. Once she addresses them, they look at each other, and then yell and run away, one of them saying something about strangers. A couple of local women nearby then give Nasrin a glowering glare, before turning their heads and walking off, body language obviously showing their disdain for the particular turn of events.
Not much else happens on the party's way to the memorial statue. The crowd has gone its way, leaving the area free of onlookers and distractions. The V still stains the stone, its red color piercing through the grey background it's drawn upon. Looking around the statue yields little information to go on; hardly any drops of paint, blood, or whatever was used to vandalize the monument are on the ground, and what is left is near the V. It seems no brush or other instrument was left, and no personal belongings are left nearby, either.
Anna will walk up next to Nasrin and nod. "Kids are weird. I bet they don't even realize how gruesome that little nursery rhyme is. It is strange that they sing something like that though. Will have to ask Kendra if she knows anything about it. "
Once at the statue Anna will try walking around to find any evidence of the people. She will also try, when no one is looking, to lean in to sniff at the red stains on the monument. She may be able to identify if it was paint or blood by smell.
Sister Zephra will offer a quick prayer to Pharasma and assist whoever is examining the area.
"Sister Zephra, I don't believe I know anyone here. I had a nightmare, dream, something the first night I slept here. I can go more into detail when we are back at Kendra's. You never know whos listening," She speaks in a lowered tone.
She looks at the monument, the V burning into sight, bring back images of the dream. She walks up to it, and places her figure upon the letter. She traces it edge, then drops her hand to her side. She begins to search the area for something, anything, that could be a clue.
Naleka doesn't like being swung around while Viare searches, so she slithers her way up to Viares' neck, loops around as many times as she can, and happily watches the others.
Sister Zephra's eyes widen when Viare mentions her dream and she nods conspiratorially. She attempts to help Viare search, but it seems neither of them spots anything obviously out of place.
She sighs, defeated. "Perhaps before we go back to Professor Lorrimor's house, we should visit the church to pray. It is said the goddess helps those who seek her out? The Professor did, a few days before he died-- I remember he said so in his journal."
"The journal... Now that you mention it, didn't it say that the Professor had stored materials inside an abandoned crypt? It could be worth exploring, although people here are wary enough of us without adding grave robbing."
Her gaze moves to Inessa and Zephra. "Unless you have sufficient authority in the Lady of Graves' clergy to obtain permission, perhaps?"