Judah trudged into Ravengrow looking like he had his own personal raincloud over his head that had been drizzling on him for days. He was haggard. His eyes were half-lidded and red-rimmed. He kept his hood up and squinted against the light even though the skies about Ravengrow didn't tend to be blue and sunny.
With every other step a faint scrape and clank of metal could be heard against his leg. He kept his cloak pulled tight around him so whatever it was couldn't be seen by passers by. He went to the inn, paid for one night, counting out copper pieces to add up to a few silver. His hands trembled and he glanced at the fireplace once as though startled, spilling his coins and having to start over.
He asked the Innkeep where he could find Petros Lorrimor. The Innkeep pointed across the street to the graveyard of the Pharasman church.
Jonah was halfway across the street before he figured out what he'd just been told.
His sad, disheartened chuckle started low, but built until he was practically crying, laughing in the middle of the street like a madman.
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CASSIEL, MATHUS, and LORANT
The Unfurled Scroll is a short walk from Kendra's home and along the way, you overhear rumors about town of a vandalism that occurred last night. Apparently, a monument celebrating the guards who gave their lives preventing the prisoners from escaping during the fire of Harrowstone has been vandalized. A large letter "V" was scrawled, in blood, on the base of the memorial.
As you enter The Unfurled Scroll, a weathered man is speaking before two children. "So, we see that two and two makes... four," he says, writing the equation on a slate tablet. He glances up and sees your party enter. "Excuse me a moment, children. Work on the equations I gave you while I attend to business."
Turning to you, he extends a welcome. "Greetings, strangers. How may I be of service to you? Do you require components, or a scroll, perhaps? I have recently come to acquire a pair of magical wands, should you wish to discuss purchasing such."
JUDAH
Passer-by are giving you odd looks, but none seem willing to approach too closely.
ELEANORA
You have come to the small town of Ravengro in response to the summons that you received telling you that Petros Lorrimor had passed away, and that you were named in his last will and testament. You cannot fathom why you have been named, specifically, but it was worth your time to investigate.
You stand before the door to Lorrimor's home, a run-down manor house. You stand quietly, reflecting on your relationship with the Professor before knocking gently at the door. An attractive woman opens the door and says, "May I help you?"
Lorant's eyes widen as he hears of the event.
"We will need to investigate this more closely when we have a moment. Mathus, if you don't mind, I'll go look at this while you and Cass take care of matters at the Unfurled Scroll."
As they arrive, Lorant makes a small bow to the man.
"Good morning, sir. I am Lorant Endronil, and these are my colleagues, Mathus and Cassiel. We are friends of the late Petros Lorrimor...you were there at his funeral, yes?"
Judah managed to pull himself together after a minute or so. He wiped his face with a cloth and took a deep breath.
Ok, no professor. Figures. Still, gotta keep looking. Maybe he had an apprentice, or an assistant, or a library.
It didn't take him long to get directions to Lorrimor's residence. He trudged through town until he found the place.
With a furtive chance over his shoulder he nervously knocked on the door.
The somewhat plain-looking young woman standing on the doorstep blinks in surprise. She's wan and looks skinnier than she should be, but her clothes are of good cut and she's only slightly stained by mud, rain, and road. She stares for a moment.
"I...you must be Kendra." She clears her throat, as if not used to speaking to people much. "My name is Eleanora Olexina. I'm so sorry for your loss, but...I understand that Professor Lorrimer named me as some sort of beneficiary of his will?" She smiles slightly. "I met him several years ago...he often talked of you. May I come in?"
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ELEANORA
"Kendra... yes, I am. I'm sorry, it's just that I wasn't expecting anyone else. I thought that they had all come. But... where are my manners? Please come in and have a seat." She leads you into a small and pleasant parlor and offers you a seat.
"I can put on some tea or coffee, if you prefer?"
Before you can answer, there comes another knock at the door.
"Dear me, I've not been this busy since my father was, well, alive. Excuse me, please."
JUDAH
An attractive woman in her mid-thirties answers the door. "Yes, how may I help you?"
CASSIEL, LORANT, and MATHUS
"Yes. You are the strangers that he named in his will, aren't you? Nasty business, his death. Horrible accident. Anyway, what can I do for you?"
"Well, that's the heart of the matter, isn't it?"
Lorant leans in a little closer and lowers his voice.
"The contents of Petros' will included his journal, and it leads us to believe his death was no accident. Something is happening up in Harrowstone. Petros tried to stop it, and it killed him. We're going up there to finish what he started, and we need to be prepared, lest we suffer the same fate. We've exhausted our research options in the Temple of Pharasma, and wondered if you, as a fellow man of learning, might be able to assist us."
Cassiel nods. "Anything you can explain to us, or any books or some such you can direct us to, would be greatly appreciated."
Judah blinked. He hadn't expected a pretty girl. He swallowed and tried to run a hand through his unkempt hair. "Uh, hi. I'm, ah... You don't know me, I was... I was hoping... Is this... Petros Lorrimor's residence?"
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Judah fidgeted a bit. "My condolences on your loss. I didn't know the professor, but I have a problem I was told he might have been able to help me with. I guess I'll never know now."
He shrugged. "I guess I was hoping he might have an apprentice, or a library I could look at, or some friends who might be as knowledgable as he was?"
"Oh, sorry. My name's Judah. Uh, pleased to meet you."
Lorant smiles and nods.
"I think if we pooled our resources we can manage that. What say you, Gentlemen?"
He looks at the others, waiting for a response.
Not yet comfortable sitting, Ella remains standing, awkwardly pacing about the professor's--Kendra's, now--parlor. She glances at the few books on the walls, the small portraits over the mantel, and the tea cup where Kendra must have been sitting before she knocked. Hearing the noise from the front door; she glances that way nervously, almost guiltily.
You really are terrible at making friends, aren't you? No wonder you were always such a lump growing up.
Ella's head snaps around as though to glare at someone who's not there. Silence, you. This is a house in mourning, and you are NOT to interrupt me while we are here. Understood?
But of course, but of course. Just call me if you need me, little Ell. You know I was always better with people than you were...
Ella snarls, but the voice seems to be gone. She turns back toward the front of the house and creeps nervously toward the parlor door, trying to eavesdrop as subtly as possible.
5 gold pieces a day...
5 per day? Come sir I know we are in a remote area but don't you find that price a bit high? Nonetheless we shall keep your offer in mind. What have you for sale?
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"I proudly offer a selection of spell components, alchemical components, and scrolls of all sorts. Through an exclusive arrangement with the church of Pharasma, I am also able to offer a limited selection of divine scrolls. And, as I said, I have recently come into possession of a pair of magic wands, which can be yours for a reasonable price."
She unfurls a document and reads it through, as though searching for something. "Ah, here we are. Eleanor Olexina and Judah Locke. Yes, you were specified as well. As odd as this may seem, I must assure you that it is no more so than yesterday."
Ella backs rapidly away from the door as Kendra returns, and endeavors to look idle. She bobs a quick curtesy when introduced. "I'm very pleased to meet you, sir," she says to Judah with a smile. "Any friend of the Professor's is bound to be a good man. Have you traveled far?"
Her ear caught by the last thing Kendra mentions, she turns toward her. "Exchse me, but ah...what made yesterday so odd?"
"Wait, what?" Judah said, blinking, confused.
"I've never met the Professor. What do you mean specified?" Judah looked like a cornered animal about to bolt.
"Oh, I apologize. I...assumed," Eleanora trails off, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Well, inasmuch as it's my place to say so, you're still quite welcome."
"Thanks." Judah said with a very genuine, if somewhat weary smile. His eyes flicked to Kendra and the enveloped she held. "Do you know what she's talking about?"
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Ella backs rapidly away from the door as Kendra returns, and endeavors to look idle. She bobs a quick curtesy when introduced. "I'm very pleased to meet you, sir," she says to Judah with a smile. "Any friend of the Professor's is bound to be a good man. Have you traveled far?"
Her ear caught by the last thing Kendra mentions, she turns toward her. "Excuse me, but ah...what made yesterday so odd?"
"I've never met the Professor. What do you mean specified?" Judah looked like a cornered animal about to bolt.
"Well, in addition to the three men that arrived for the funeral and reading of the will, there was a... kobold. His name, too, was in my father's will. I just assumed that the rest of you weren't coming, so we went ahead with the reading, but, you can see for yourselves, your names are here."
"I can't tell you, Mr. Locke, how your name came to be here, but apparently, my father knew you."
"Very strange," Eleanora murmurs, peering at the will. "I wonder why he asked me, of all people, to do this for him..." She smiles slightly. "Perhaps it was his way of trying to get me out of the house."
She turns back to Kendra. "Where are these others?"
Lorant reaches into his pocket and fishes out one gold coin. He sheepishly looks at the others.
"I'm afraid this is all I have with me...Is anyone else willing to contribute?"
There was a faint rasping sound and a metallic click from within Judah's cloak near his knee. Judah twitched, glancing down a moment then taking a slow breath, trying to pretend nothing had happened and that everything was alright. He swallowed.
"...alright. Let's see what your father had to say about me."
Judah reached out to take the envelope from Kendra and opened it with shaking hands.
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Judah, on examination of the will, you find your name clearly emblazoned thereon, despite never having actually met Professor Lorrimor.
Cassiel produces 5 gold pieces.
"There. Should be good for today."
Lorant turns to the others, a serious look on his face.
"Mathus, you and Cas do research on the five prisoners we learned about. I'll investigate that graffiti we overheard people talking about. I've a...nose...for blood. It might lead us to whoever, or WHATever, we're up against."
I don't know if a generic magical library will have notes on the prisoners - that would be the town hall if anything. I will research its history section on the Prison itself
Cassiel peruses through the books alongside Mathus.
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Originally, Harrowstone housed only local criminals, but as the prison’s fame spread, other counties and distant lands began paying to have more dangerous criminals housed within this prison’s walls. At the time of the great Harrowstone Fire, the number of particularly violent or dangerous criminals imprisoned within the dungeons below was at an all-time high.
The five most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire were Father Charlatan, the Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illlmarsh, and the Splatter Man.
“Yet beyond the bequeathing of my personal effects, this document must serve other needs. I have arranged for the reading of this document to be delayed until all principals can be in attendance, for I have more than mere inheritance to apportion. I have two final favors to ask.
“To my old friends, I hate to impose upon you all, but there are few others who are capable of appreciating the true significance of what it is I have to ask. As some of you know, I have devoted many of my studies to all manner of evil, that I might know the enemy and inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge of one’s enemy is the surest path to victory over its plans.
“And so, over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire a significant collection of valuable but dangerous tomes, any one of which in the wrong circumstances could have led to an awkward legal situation. While the majority of these tomes remain safe under lock and key at the Lepidstadt University, I fear that a few I have borrowed remain in a trunk in my Ravengro home. While invaluable for my work in life, in death, I would prefer not to burden my daughter with the darker side of my profession, or worse still, the danger of possessing these tomes herself. As such, I am entrusting my chest of tomes to you, posthumously. I ask that you please deliver the collection to my colleagues at the University of Lepidstadt, who will put them to good use for the betterment of the cause.
“Yet before you leave for Lepidstadt, there is the matter of another favor—please delay your journey one month and spend that period of time here in Ravengro to ensure that my daughter is safe and sound. She has no one to count on now that I am gone, and if you would aid her in setting things in order for whatever she desires over the course of this month, you would have my eternal gratitude. From my savings, I have also willed to each of you a sum of one hundred platinum coins. For safekeeping, I have left these funds with Embreth Daramid, one of my most trusted friends in Lepidstadt—she has been instructed to issue this payment upon the safe delivery of the borrowed tomes no sooner than one month after the date of the reading of this will.
“I, Petros Lorrimor, hereby sign this will in Ravengro on this
first day of Calistril, in the year 4715.” At the bottom are six names inscribed; Cassiel Hawke, Meenak, Mathus Kohlheim, Lorant Endronil, Eleanora Olexina, and Judah Locke.
Put her body on the bed.
Take a knife and lop her head.
Watch the blood come out the pipe.
Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe.
Drops of red so sparkly bright.
Splatters spell her name just right.
With a hammer killed his wife.
Now he wants to claim your life.
Tricksy father tells a lie.
Listen close or you will die.
"Alllllriiiight..." Judah said incredulously. "I have never heard of any of these people."
He handed the will back with a sigh. "So the professor I never knew wants me to haul a bunch of old books back to a place I've never been with a group of people I've never met."
He shook his head. "I think i would normally be a lot more concerned, but this is not the weirdest thing to happen to me lately, and I'm really too sleep deprived to care much about anything."
"I came here thinking I might get my hands on some books that might help me. This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but I'll take it."
"Where are the books, and where are these other folks on the will?"
"I assume that's the group that's at this Unfurled Scroll?" Ella chimes in. "I wonder what prompted the professor to draw us all together...perhaps we were the ones he thought likeliest to be able to fulfill his needs. I admit I have...few other obligations." She smiles crookedly.
"I guess we should go find them." Judah shrugged. "Where's the Unfurled Scroll?
Lorant frowns as he listens to the rhyme, and casually approaches the children as if he's just passing by.
"Asta e un pic de o melodie morbid pentru sărind peste coarda, nu-i așa?
"Oh, ah...I suppose so," Eleanora says, slightly surprised at Judah's rapid embrace of this assignment. "Miss Lorrimer, we shan't intrude on you anymore, if you'd be kind enough to give us directions to this library the others went to explore." As she's about to leave, a thought strikes her. "And, er, a description of the others, I suppose."
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Lorant is about to smile, before he catches himself and realizes his teeth might scare them even more.
"Nu trebuie să-ți fie frică de mine. Numele meu este Lorant. Sunt unul din prietenii domnișoarei Lorrimor lui."
"Thanks, Kendra. In spite of the unfortunate circumstances and all, it was nice to meet you."
"Uh, I guess we'll be back for the books after we meet up with the others?" Judah said to Eleanora.
Eleanora nods. "It seems that there's no rush...after all, we're not even allowed to deliver them to their new owner for at least a month. After, you, sir."
On the way to the Unfurled Scroll Eleanora is mostly silent. On the outside she appears to be little more than a well-dressed young woman, admittedly an unusually gaunt one. The silence hangs as she and Judah make their way to the shop.
"So, ah...where are you from, Mr...?" she glances at him inquiringly. "I'm sorry, I don't believe Ms. Lorrimer mentioned your surname."
Mathus looks up from his researches at the mention of Lorrimors name.
Hello? You are friends of Kendra?
A bleary-eyed, dark-haired paladin in well-polished scale mail looks up from the book he's reading (or rather, staring at) at the newcomers to the Unfurled Scroll. Oh, praise to the Inheritor--someone else to talk to. I swear, if I spent one more hour staring into these books, I'd go completely f+~&ing mad.
"Hello." He says, standing up from the desk he was sitting at.
"Uh..." Judah said uncertainly. He had been about to answer Eleanora, but the interruption had clearly thrown him. He cleared his throat. [b]"Not really. We, uh, just met her. There was a thing about a will, and now we're here looking for the other people who were on the list."
"That... is that you folks?"
Those in the Unfurled Scroll seem to be handling their RPing nicely, so I'll let them do so.
** spoiler omitted **
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Originally, Harrowstone housed only local criminals, but as the prison’s fame spread, other counties and distant lands began paying to have more dangerous criminals housed within this prison’s walls. At the time of the great Harrowstone Fire, the number of particularly violent or dangerous criminals imprisoned within the dungeons below was at an all-time high.
The five most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire were Father Charlatan, the Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illlmarsh, and the Splatter Man.
Interesting - we will need to find the town records for more on these people but in the interim, let us aquatint ourselves with Kendra's friends.
Lorant sighs as the children scream and run.
"I'm usually more good with children than this...these people really are scared..."
He continues towards the Harrowstone monument, trying to greet other townsfolk as he passes to offset his disastrous attempt with the children.
Eleanora clears her throat. "My name is Eleanora Olexina, of Ardeal. I was...named in the Professor's will, and Ms. Lorrimber said that I--that we--might meet the rest of you here."
She looks inquiringly at the others.
"Me? I'm Cassiel. Cassiel Hawke, of Lastwall." Cassiel straightens up and brushes off his armour. "Saved the Professor's life once, and he insisted on paying me back someday. Don't know why, though--I was just doing my job."