"I am refreshed and replenished. I would like to copy those spells given more time, but the game is afoot."
Corum looks around.
"Shall we continue the hunt?"
" Does anybody mind if we start off by heading to the chaple? I believe the body made to look like Braxton's is actually Fawni's... She may be able to provide some interesting answers through Brother Sverin's spell. Then we should find the Mayor. "
Warden Horne replies to Braxton "He was patrolling the area west of the house. It was about an hour before first light."
The village is silent and empty again this morning. You head to the chapel, and find Brother Sverin outside speaking to a young man and pregnant woman sitting in a small overstuffed two-horse cart. Brother Sverin is wishing them well when you approach. The man responds as he picks up the reigns. "Good luck to you as well, Brother. If you ever find yourself near Sipplerose, look us up. Shouldn't be too hard to spot us among the gnomes."
The cart pulls away, and Brother Sverin turns to greet you. His warm smile only dims slightly... reminded of the lives lost, and the task ahead. "Good morning. Shall we get started?" he opens and holds the door for you.
"Thanks Warden we'll have to check that area after the church."
As he enters the chapel and just comments, "Hey Padre, this will be intresting."
The delicate mage casts a spell and looks for magic and physical signs around the church.
Perception
The two bodies lie on tables between the alter and seating inside the chapel. Brother Sverin goes about the room lighting sconces and votive candles. He glances at you and gestures to the window paned with glass dominated by dark shades of red... in the center is a amorphous grey object. "I appreciate the decorative glass the Doyle family provided, but it doesn't let much light through."
both corpses glow as if spells have been recently cast upon them.
Errik studies the window pointed out by Brother Sverin for a moment with scholarly curiosity.
Your best guess is that it is a tribute to Gorum, assuming the grey "blob" is unworked metal.
"I will begin... prepare your questions for the departed. This will take several minutes." Brother Sverin stands at the presumed sculpted corpse of Fawni, and begins chanting while grasping his amulet.
Errik looks back from the window and aproaches the corpse. " Thank you Brother. " Errik motions for everyone to gather around as Sverin casts his spell and waits expectantly hoping to see Fawni's form materialise.
After nearly ten minutes, a dim glow appears inches above the "fake Braxton" corpse. Sverin's gesturing slows, and a ghostly (and more feminine) form hovers just above the body. It's eyes open as does both mouths, and you hear a faint sound like a sharp intake of breath.
"I'm sorry to disturb you..." Errik begins looking a little shocked. "Please could you tell me how you died? "
The features become more defined, and those who knew her recognize her as Fawni, the magic item and supply merchant.
She responds to Errik's question."My caaaptors smothered meeee."
It is possible, with the spell, the visible manifestation of the deceased could vary in different subjects.
Corum informs Errik he is curious to the identity of the captors.
"What form did your captors approach you?" Braxton grumbles at the so called fawni.
"The one that led me to the derro and duergar in the sewers, took the form of my brother."
"Could you explain where in the sewers they took you?"
"I lost consciousness... but when I woke, I was bound in an earthen tunnel with my brother, and the smell of the sewer was still strong." Her emotionless ghostly image slowly dissipates as she speaks these last words.
Brother Sverin remains quiet for a moment before speaking "Horrifying. But.. why would they do this to her corpse, were they buying themselves time somehow? It seems you may have interrupted their plan... in so doing, made it difficult to determine the intent."
He looks back at the corpse "I don't know if there is a way to restore her corpse before funeral rites. I'll see what I can divine. If you need any further help, I'll be around."
" I'm not sure why they changed her form to Braxton's... The only possible advantage I can think of is that they were hoping to discredit my friends or break up our group by playing on the fears that shape changers bring." Errik wipes his face slowly with a hand as if trying to rub some answers into his brain and then turns to Corum " It seems her captors were the Ugothols and that they are working with the Derro and some Duergar. I wonder where Sirius Horth fits into all this? Are the Ugothols working for him or is it the other way around?
"Let us check into these Ugothols."
Ugothols, also known as Face Stalkers, are shapeshifters. They are aberrations that often keep captive those from whom they steal their forms... the form stealing involves contact. You believe they are created somehow, but you know of nothing more than that.
Brother Sverin cuts in "Sirius Horth? Ha.. no no Sirius is his middle name... and its Doyle. Ever since the village's original benefactor Doyle took custody of his late business partner Millus Horth's children, they've all taken the name Doyle." He stops. "Wait. What are you saying?"
Errik gives his companions a knowing look. " Brother Sverin, this is very important so please answer me one question before I explain. Are you talking about the Mayor? "
Sensing the gravity, Brother Sverin sits on the bench against the wall, looks back up at Errik and nods.
"Brother, Sirius Horth is the name of a man Karthak here is chasing. He's allied to a witch we captured who was working with monsters and keeping two seemingly innocent men hostage! He's a necromancer and an exiled member of a society called the whispering way! "
Brother Sverin looks skeptical, even smirks for a moment as if it could be a joke ... but as Errik continues he seems to accept the possibility.
"Well he is most certainly eccentric. I had always attributed it to the introverted lifestyle for which the Doyles are known."
He shakes his head "I just don't see it." He looks Errik in the eye again "I believe you think it to be so... but a necromancer? Please... be careful, but... don't do anything rash."
"We have to go meet with the mayor now. Don't worry we won't rush in weapons drawn but if any of this is true he has a lot of explaining to do." Errik looks to his companions. "Well! Ready to go?"
"Don't worry Padre, we'll figure this out and Shiv the one incharge." He then looks to Errikl, "Glad we agree to not show our hand, though should we have a warning and an attack phrase just invade one of us spots something the others don't?"
The elvish mage smiles and speaks with Braxton: "I can turn all within ten feet of me invisible. When we meet with the mayor, there will be one visible spokesman, and the rest of us will be invisible."
Corum is ready with his spell. It should be quite an advantage. He had the perfect tool to deal with an evil magic user, and fingered his metamagic rod.
As you discuss strategy on your way out of the chapel, across the still-abandoned market square, you see Warden Horne's wagon sitting in front of Errik's house.
He is alone... casually pacing by the wagon, and has yet to notice you as you pass the town center fountain. Another morning without the smells, sounds, and activity of the bustling little market square.
The seasoned elf points out: "The more we find out before tackling this Horth the better, AS LONG AS WE DON'T WARN HORTH. Let us see what we can find out near your house, Errik. I do want to know what is inside that wagon, for instance."
The elf adds ominously, "Trust no one--the truth is out there."
" Alright, you check the wagon and me and Braxton will check the west side of the house. Yell out if you need us. " Errik replies to the elf.
Errik heads towards the side of his house. Waving to the warden if he's noticed but otherwise ignoring the man. He starts looking about for evidence of anything sinister.
Braxton nods to the both of them agreeing with the plan.
Corum casts a quick spell, and turns invisible. He quickly checks out the wagon and examines the guard.
Warden Horne calls out when he notices Errik and Braxton; already a dozen feet past the house and continuing west when the milling lawman happens to see them.
"You know you could ride with me. Heh heh. Ready when you are."
He casually returns Errik's wave of acknowledgement... projecting "no hurry" in his gesture and body language.
You see no reaction from him as you approach... no sign of him detecting you. The wagon has benches along the sides, and four metal rings affixed for manacled riders. There is another bench at the foremost part of the cargo area with a locked footlocker underneath.. about 10"x 20"x 3'.
On the driver's bench, sits a leather knapsack.
Corum grabs the knapsack, looks inside, and packs it away. As he moves it to his shoulder and takes possession of the knapsack, it turns invisible as he thought it would.
Inside the knapsack are a few biscuits and a couple dozen strips of beef jerky. Warden Horne looks over just as it turns invisible. "Huh?"
It is possible he saw the knapsack move and disappear in the periphery of his vision... though his controlled reaction seems like he just noticed it was no longer there. He walks a few steps to the driver's bench of the wagon, and looks under the seat.
Corum moves to the back of the wagon and drops the knapsack out of sight of the Warden, hoping it will be noticed later and not arouse suspicion.
Corum will look under the seat of the driver's bench when the Warden is no longer looking at that area.
You see nothing under the driver's bench... Warden Horne finds the knapsack in the wagon after thoroughly checking under the bench and under the wagon. You hear him mutter "strange..." to himself.
West of the house, just past the treeline of the nearby wooded area, you find a little area of "trampled" foliage. It is fairly well concealed and has a clear view of Errik's house.
You happen to find a couple things that stand out as you check out the area... a red rose petal, and a tiny piece of copper the size of a sewing needle.
Corum will move quickly to help his friends, having seen nothing suspicious by the warden. To be thorough, he does one more search of the wagon looking for suspicious activity before departing.
"Bah! There's nothing here. Come on fellas let's get moving."
Corum grimly nods and follows.
Errik picks up the rose petal and the sewing needle sized piece of copper. " Spell Components? " He puzzles as he starts to follow the others absentmindedly.
Could be spell components. Assuming for the moment there are... they are both used in common spells. Rose petals in Sleep, and copper wire in Message. There are surely other spells that use those ingredients, but those are the two you know of.
"Hmm, A sleep spell, that explains our guard falling asleep, and the copper... perhaps a message spell? A warning or instructions for Tilda." Errik muses as they walk to the mayors.
Corum nods, "You have the right of it Errik--well done! Let us find the mayor in his den and confront him. Braxton and I will be invisible as you appear to enter alone."
" Hang on a second, Warden. It's possible that through spells Tilda l's allies may have got a message through to her. Be careful. We'll walk to the Mayors, we've got a bit to discuss as we go. We'll see you later. "