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Gravleon, suspecting something foul is afoot, says a prayer to Sarenrae whilst sprinkling silver powder into the pool.
As he completes his prayer, several of the bodies in the pool convulse violently--their mouths open in silent screams. The silver dust coalesces and sticks to their bodies forming tiny holy symbols all over the unholy creatures.
They get up and move towards the party.
The undead convulse again. This time the silver powder sizzles into their flesh like acid. The bodies all go limp.
Combat over!
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"blessing of the light favor us, thank the dawnflower...now look at this foul place..." gravleon looks around to room for any more signs of coruption
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The jars contain various preserved specimens including a preserved drow head, a pickled pair of hill giant eyes, the half-changed head and spine of a wererat, and a trio of chuul tentacles. The skeletons are both owlbears, while the coffin holds a human body.
No matter where you stand in the room, the eyes in the jar look like they're staring right at you.
A narrow corridor to the east ends at a locked iron grille.
A ledger sits in the handcart.
You also find a wand in this room.
Sharien looks very intently at the wand.
After checking out the wand, Sharien pores over the ledger.
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You've got a crap-ton of evidence now from a bunch of different places. Unfortunately, no live witnesses (who know much). You also have to explain how you got the evidence.
Really, all that remains is presenting it in court. We can be big and dramatic about the courtroom, or we can hand-wave it. Your call.
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gravleon speaks before the trial "again we come before you to prove the innocence of this man. With this he will walk free and enjoy a long life in the dawn flowers light"
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Blackheaths jogs into the courtroom behind Gravleon. "'Tis true, my good citizens, judge, and jury! We have evidence that the crimes attributed to the poor and pitiful Beast were actually the work of a dark cabal. Behold, I shall present this evidence in rhyme...
Doctor Brada's deceased,
and you blame the Beast,
but given some time
I'll show it was Vorkstag and Grine.
Lepidstadt's been fleeced!
Now check out my priest,
he'll show you by signs
that the Beast's been maligned!
Blackheath gestures for Gravleon to bring for the evidence exhibits in order -- Exhibit A, the collection of skins...
See this wardrobe of skins?
They are made for a man to get in.
If you're a sinister fey,
You can wear them all day.
Perfect for the commission of sin.
The bard encourages the court to examine the skin walker's "suits".
We found them at V&G chymic works,
where a dark creeper and other things lurked.
We followed the trail
from these bills of sale,
and that's how we got to these jerks.
He introduces the body of the dead dark creeper with a tag hanging from its toe that reads "Exhibit B" and another collection of Dr. Brada's documents with the names Vorkstag and Grine marked "Exhibit C."
Dr Brada had good intentions,
but he bought bodies for experimentation.
Caught in this criminal ring,
V&G were frightened he might start to sing,
so they killed him in a great conflagration.
The ledger from Vorkstag and Grine is entered into evidence as Exhibit D to show that Brada was buying bodies from the body snatchers.
Good Karl is our only eyewitness,
and I'm not going to question his fitness,
suffice it be said,
this "skin" had him misled
He mistook the Beast for the arsonist.
Blackheath shakes out the giant and grotesque mongel-man skin for the jury.
But think back a few days past
to the testimony gained from Morast:
"The bite of a blood caiman"
Now, let me show you them same 'un
on the shoulder of this resurrectionist!
The bard waits for the skin-shifting body snatcher to be brought forward, and then pulls down the man's shirt to reveal the scars on his shoulder.
'Twas he who posed as the Beast
while snatching Morast's dead from their peace.
The severed face that we found,
was carved by this hound
who has run free as the Beast was policed!
Both Morast and the fire at Sanctuary
Were the result of a criminal conspiracy
with a "beastly" disguise
they decieved everyone's eyes.
Poor Beast! He used these skins to appear as thee!
Sharien nods several times during Blackheath's speech, silently showing her agreement with the details. Knowing she cannot add anything eloquent to the discussion, she leaves it at that.
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Blackheath already rolled a 27 diplomacy to present the evidence.
Presenting Vorkstag’s Cabinet of Skins and Faces grants you +20 on the Diplomacy check, according to the AP. Presuming that Sharien and Gravleon assist, that's a 51 Diplomacy!!!
Fifty-One.
There's supposed to be an angry mob that wants to lynch the Beast anyway. But you rolled a 51! LOL! :)
The rest of the trial is sort of moot. :D
__________
The judges leave to deliberate. One hour later, they return looking grim. The Herald calls for order, and the crowd immediately hushes. Chief Justice Khard stands and announces the verdict.
"We have heard the evidence presented before us, and thank Pharasma that we did so, for without this trial there would have been a most terrible miscarriage of justice. There are many cruelties in the world, but to lie and blame another for one's crimes is the most terrible of sins. We have asked ourselves a question—who is the monster here? Is it this creature before us, with its broken body and terrible form, or is it we, the people of Lepidstadt, with our bigotry and lies? The Beast is innocent!"
__________
Since you guys killed the actual culprits whilst investigating the Chymic Works, there's no real follow-up possible.
__________
The guards release the Beast, much to their chagrin. The Beast thanks you for your help, calling you “my best friends in all the world.” The Beast confides that it wants nothing more than to go see its “father,” who lives at Schloss Caromarc. The Beast tells the party that “Father doesn’t usually like visitors,” but invites you to visit it there in a few days. The guards escort the Beast through the baying crowds to the edge of the city, and release it into the Dippelmere Swamp.
__________
Judge Daramid requests that the party meet her the next morning to receive their payment. When the PCs arrive at Judge Daramid’s house, she gives them their promised reward, telling them they have earned it, as the Beast was able to receive a fair trial. But she asks them to complete one more task for her: go to Schloss Caromarc in search of the Beast and its creator. She is interested in the Beast’s history, and thinks the Beast might still be dangerous. If the party can find its creator, perhaps they can learn how to control the Beast, or convince its creator to keep a tighter rein on the creature. But Daramid has also heard rumors that the townsfolk are planning to track down the Beast and overturn the court’s verdict on their own. If the party wants to protect the creature, you should hurry.
__________
Schloss Caromarc lies some 24 miles north and east of Lepidstadt in a rocky gorge at the edge of the Dippelmere Swamp.
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Your skills are high enough so I'll just give you this... (hand-wave)
You notice that people all across the city are mobilizing. Yes, Blackheath made a great speech. Yes, the aprty as a whole is very convincing. But you've hardly spoken to every commoner in the area!
Prevailing opinion is that there has been a miscarriage of justice! Many groups are setting out to the swamp to lynch the Beast!
The prevailing attitude all across the city is angry.
"It seems as if we must defend our new friend from the mob, despite the fact that justice has been done. We should go find him, and put ourselves between him and this mob, unless you think we can convince them all to lay down their arms now, Blackheath?"
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Your knowledge (local or nobility) checks regarding Schloss Caromarc.
DC 10: Schloss Caromarc is the dwelling of Count Alpon Caromarc, the former ruler of Vieland who abdicated his position when the Palatinates threw off the heavy yoke of the aristocracy.
DC 15: An eccentric recluse, Count Caromarc has built a dwelling that both attracts and deters visitors. Known as the Hanging House, Schloss Caromarc lies to the northeast of Dippelmere Swamp, and is actually several buildings built into the walls of a gorge above a waterfall. Although the lower parts of the house are as luxurious as one might find in any city, the further up the gorge one goes, the more treacherous and inhospitable the buildings become.
DC 20: Paranoid about his experiments and discoveries being stolen, the eccentric Count Caromarc has, it is rumored, trapped parts of his castle to prevent theft, and constructed numerous guardian creatures to serve and protect him.
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Arriving at Schloss Caromarc: The fens give way to a deep, rocky gorge at the northern edge of the swamp, where a peculiar building, or rather group of buildings, clings to steep cliff edges above half a dozen plummeting waterfalls. Beyond a fortified gatehouse, a stone bridge arches gracefully over the raging torrents below. Perched precariously beyond this is a fine, fortified manse and a ruined building that appears to have partially collapsed into the river below. A slender rope bridge, replacing the fallen remnants of a stone bridge, links to a strange tower pierced with beautiful stained glass windows depicting bizarre beasts. A further building teeters to the north of this, but how it is reached is impossible to see from here. Far above, a great tower rises from an isle of stone to the sky, ending in a great steeple topped with a huge lightning conductor.
Sharien observes the lightning conductor. "That looks incredibly dangerous. What possible use could he have for that?"
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Map of Schloss Caromarc
The party approaches from the south (area F1). I presume, too, that you all hustle to get there before the angry mobs do.
Sharien will search for the Beast, calling out to him softly. She'd like to meet his father, assuming that doesn't lead to his father eating the party.
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The party approached the front gate: A two-story stone gatehouse leads into the castle, topped with a crenelated tower at each corner. The main gate is closed.
Sharien calls out softly. Two trollhounds burst out from behind the gate and attack the party!
The trollhounds fight to the death. But there presence here is a sure sign that others creatures are around.
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"well this won't be so easy will it let's just get to the front door and see if he answers" gravleon proposes to the group
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You enter the gate (past F1 into F2 on the map).
F2: The gates open on a broad chamber with a vaulted roof. Two large fires burn in the room, and spiral stairways climb up in each corner toward the ceiling. The gate on the far side of the room is barricaded with timber and furniture.
The barricade is composed of a number of cots, tables, and other furniture.
You also see a torn and stained gray tunic with blue trim.
Perception checks to know more.
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"I don't think scaling the waterfall is a the waterfall is a sensible idea... however, we can suspect that the villagers are busy grabbing their pitchforks and torches and we may not have time to clear this barricade. Additionally, we might find that leaving it as an impediment to an angry mob might help us down the road. What do you think, friends?"