Theopolis stares that the apparition intently, looking for the strength of the taint of evil on this form.
Having heard the werewolf's recommendation, he thinks this soul may still be redeemed in some way if given the chance.
"Innkeep, I am Theopolis Vitaron, Holy Knight of the goddess Iomedae, Hand of Her Divine Judgement, Bearer of the Sacred Shield of The Inheritor. I have need of ale and food, so stay your actions and attend to me before I must return to my fight against the Whispering Way."
Tolvan nods in approval of Theopolis' tactic, adding The fight is not over and you still have a part to play and a chance yet for redemption.
The ghostly figure pauses, obviously having heard Theopolis, and briefly turns to look. But he shakes his head, sadly, and says, in a soft, ethereal, voice:
"More soldiers, then. You were the making of me, then the death of me. And of the town. And of everyone I knew or loved. This isn't an inn any more. You'd best be on your way. Please go."
And, having spoken, he continues to make his arrangements, carefully checking that the noose is in place.
"While I may be a soldier of Iomedae, I am here to fight the evils that have come to your village. The Whispering Way and their vile necromatic methods seek to bring a great evil into this world. They are raising an army of undead within this very town, using your fellow townsfolk to fill its ranks."
"We have been guided here to stop them and if I can find souls worthy of redemption to aid in our cause, then I would allow such souls an opportunity to change the errors of their past. Can you provide us with any insight on how we can end your turmoil on this world so you can proceed to the Boneyard? Can you aid us to remove the evil that has once more come to your village."
"If redemption is what you seek then the Bright Lady, Sarenrae, will offer if."
Danica begins to cast Detect Evil, then Detect Law.
The ghost turns to Theopolis. The unworldly eyes narrow. His voice seems to echo softly within the room, against and into some invisible chasm. "I know of the Way. I know. I know. What do you know, you people, you people, of the town, the town?"
His head sinks again. "The town, my friends, my children, my children."
Yes, the town and its people are in danger again and you can help them by helping us. Do not let the way use them this way.
"I will admit I know little of your town. I know that troops came through your town in the past, and you provided them our hospitality, to tending their every need. But in the end they turned on you and your friends, killing them all and destroying your town."
"Now years have past and the Whispering Way has come to your town. They seek the means to return a great evil to Golorian and they think a key to their success is here. As part of their endeavors, they are raising your fellow townsfolk to fill out their army. If they continue their actions, once more your fellow townsfolk will be destroyed as they battle the local werewolves and the other enemies of the Whispering Way."
Kimberly listened to the talking. she was unsure what she could add. but in her mind there was something missing in the conversation.
she tries to step forward, her small stature makes her seem lost among the heavily armored Paladin.
Please, sir, tell me about your town, and your people. I only want to guide you to your next destination. The Lady Pharasma awaits to guide you onto the afterlife.
I speak for her, not to bring war, not bring soldiers, I have come to help you. Pharasma has heard you, and that is why I am here. So please, tell me about yourself and this town.
Danica stands with her friends listening to the conversation. The inquisitor monk realizes the benefit of having Theo among the group as he is making a compelling argument. She nods in approval and says softly, "The truth well said." She then looks at Kimberly and realizes that her small friend is growing up. After the many months of being together a realization begins to cross her mind. She looks at her not only as a friend but as a younger sibling or, daughter even, and smiles on her progress.
The spirit turns to the paladin, abandoning its ritual, shimmering in the dull grey light breaking through the holes in the inn's rafters.
"I know the Way. I know soldiers better. Eighteen years ago Count Neska's soldiers sheltered here. I thought to make a pretty penny from them, put them up in the inn, looked after them all nice. Would have been a new coat of paint for the inn, a trip to the city maybe, a big house on the edge of town. In the morning they ... they made their true payment. Went through the houses and shops, pulling everyone out, gathered them in the town square. Butchered them, grown man, grown woman, children, babes in arms. Butchered them all. Threw them in a great hole in the square."
He shimmers again, the face soft, serious, sad and at the same time superimposed with an image of the same face, screaming, crying in pain. Within a second, he seems to recompose himself.
"They let me live. Threw a handful of silver at me as they left. And there I was, alone. And ..." - he shoots a glance at the ghostly noose, and the chair - "I couldn't go on. Not knowing what I knew. About myself. So I ended it."
"And every day, these eighteen years. Every hour of every day, I've ended it again. Because, for a handful of silver, I can never pay the interest on my debt."
He pauses, shifting again in the light, surrounded by whispers from, from what, precisely? Drifting and spiralling around him like autumn leaves in a strong breeze.
"Give me help them, if you can. Put Feldgrau back to sleep, for ever and all. But first, you'll have to deal with the Way. They've gone to the square, they're pulling out the dead and making them walk, turning them into ... soldiers. There's a necromancer among them ... his name is Auren Vrood. Why he's doing this I don't know. But I can tell you this - bring me his head, I can reach inside his mind, and tell you what he's after. And once the Way is gone, we can bring the lonely, gods-foresaken dead of Feldgrau their rightful rest."
Theopolis gathers up a few small items and lays them out in a rough approximation of Feldgrau, speaking to the ghost as he does.
"What is your name Innkeep? I will say a prayer to Iomedae this night on your behalf, letting her know you have taken the first steps on your path."
"What can you tell us of these other buildings, when Feldgrau was alive with it's townfolk? Is there another way into the tower, other then near the town square?
F2 - Forge: Cleared
F3 - Unknown: Unknown
F4 - Unknown: Unknown
F5 - Colours & Dyes: Occupied - Prince's Werewolves
F6 - Unknown: Unknown
F7 - Unknown: Unknown
F8 - Haunted Inn: Cleared - Allied w/ ghost
F9 - Mill: Occupied - Adimarus & boys
F10 - Unknown: Unknown
F11 - Unknown: Unknown
F12 - Shed: Cleared
F13 - Town Square: Occupied - WW Patrols, Mass Grave
F14 - Unknown: Unknown
G - Tower: Occupied - WW Headquarters, Auren Vrood (Necromancer)
The ghost shimmers again. "My name is ... was ... would have been, his name was Ulcris Sedmir, when he lived. His bones, my bones, hang in the storeroom. He, I, has and have not left this building these last 18 years. As for the town ..."
The spirit moves an ethereal finger around the map.
(F1) "This was Cranney's farm. His child was six. She wore a pink dress."
(F2) "This was Domer's forge. His wife was pretty. I, he, used to watch her in the morning, when she washed his aprons."
(F3) "This was the candle shop. The chandler's name was Perry. She hated Neska's men, called me, him, all sorts of names. Told me, him that I, he should burn them out. They came for her first. Dragged her and her family from the shop. Staked them up in the town square. I thought of them as I dragged the chair to the store room. Saw her eyes, heard her catcalls, as I knotted the noose. Sang her screams as I dangled on the gibbet."
(F4) "This was the Grenver house. They'd moved to town the year before. It had a view of the hills."
(F5) "This was the Dyer's shop. They drowned him in a barrel of red paint, and dragged the body through the square. Blue paint for the wife. White paint for the baby. They killed the baby first."
(F6) "This was the Glassblower's shop. Old Forler loved his books. They made him drink a vial of his acid. Then they burned the books before him. Dead like the others."
(F7) "This was the Butcher's shop. Ganner Sefley had twin sons, around 20 summers old. They tied Ganner to a chair, sliced up the sons and sewed them together. Then they killed Ganner, sliced and drew him."
(F9) "This was the mill. It had five sails. They hanged Carder from one sail, then wound it up, then they hanged his wife from another. Then they hanged his son and daughter. I imagine the sails are long gone. The bodies will be in the square with the others."
(F10) "This was Vetter's tavern. Maybe a dozen they killed there."
(F11) "This was Xar's apothecary. They fired it with arrows."
(F12) "This is the graveyard. Nobody buried there. All in the square."
(F14) "This was the armoury. Neska's men took its contents; I doubt, he doubts, you'd find anything there. Except ... yes, a presence. Vrood has put something there. Something dead. Something ... aberrant."
(G) "The tower fell as they rampaged through the town. There's only one way in. Something spins and spirals within. Vrood dreams and plots and waits. I ... he ... something is hidden."
"Bring me his head."
The spirit withdraws its hand. Though still shimmering, the pain of speech, after such a time, has drained its strength.
"Enough. Bring me his head."
Tolvan listens, taking as much in as he can. When the spirit finishes he says Well then. If Vrood is to be found in the square, that is where we must go. I do not like the idea of a frontal assault though, and am not totally sure he is there. Perhaps there is a way to spy on the square. If we handle the demon leader first I think we gain the prince's wolves help. Turning to the innkeep Tolvan asks Ulcris, we will do our best to bring you that head. Is there any aid you might offer us in this fight?
Ulcris shakes his head. "I ... he ... can offer no aid. Bring me his head and I may look inside, to tell you of what is to come. But I ... he ... can do no more."
"If the Grenver house," he begins pointing while pointing at the indicator , " had a view of the hills, maybe is has a vantage point of the town square also."
Anna had slipped outside, staying just behind the door frame where she could keep an eye on the approach, but also listen in. As the spirit spoke and recounted the horrific acts of the Way, her knees grew weaker and she slumped down to the ground. Tears welled up and then spilled down her cheeks mixing with the dust on her face to form lines running to her chin. She wanted to feel righteous fury; to be filled with the wrath of all the gods who championed goodness and decency. Instead, though, she felt numb. The casual attitude of these Whisperers in their cruelty -- calculated to maximize suffering to stir up the dead spirits and then control it -- was too much to fathom. Something inside her realized that getting mad wouldn't impress the Way, so she just grew cold.
Wiping her eyes, she stands up when the spirit finishes and the others begin talking strategy.
The Grenver house was right next to the forge. That was where Duristan was hiding. He's gone, so unless something else has moved in, we could check the upstairs and see what kind of view it had. I wasn't really in the mood when we were there to take in the scenery."
Then realizing they're right next door to where the Demon Wolves are supposedly laired, she checks to make sure silver bolts are loaded in her crossbows.
"Sure, let me go have a look first. Theopolis, I'm going to need my cloak back."
Donning her cloak and flipping up the hood, Anna slips silently around the corner cautiously to see if there's any traps or threats between the group and the entrance to the mill.
Kimberly had listened to the story. she makes her way to where the innkeeper had met his end.
Once there, she kneels to give a prayer to Pharasma. Lady of graves, Mother of Souls, Help me send those the defy your will in this town to you to face judgment. Please judge this one fairly, forgive him for what he has done.
When done she returns to the group, look for the whippoorwills, they will guide you when the time is right.
Danica, too, felt her emotions well up inside of her. Killing of children and babies.....these Neska's men were vile. These spirits must have peace. "The Bright Lady draws the line of redemption. The act of killing infants and children are acts that can not be forgiven. These restless spirits need closure." Danica looks to the others for advice and recommendations. "If we lay to rest the restless spirits then the Way will lose and advantage."
Moving to the storeroom, Kimberly finds the long rotted remains of the former innkeeper, hanging from a gibbet slung around the high rafters. Nearby, a broken chair lies on floor.
Anna moves outside and along the side of the mill, checking for traps and listening out for what might be inside.
The mill is a two storey building, bearing, on the outside, the remains of an unusual five part mill sail. The structure has obviously not been used since Neska's depredations destroyed the town. As with most of the buildings in Feldgrau, the windows are boarded up and the doors sealed. The Way's scarlet glyphs ring the base of the building, but no traps are evident, despite Anna's diligence. There's no sound from within.
Tolvan watches Anna from the posh of the Inn. [b]Lets go this.[/b[ he says indicating that they should check out the Mill.
Danica nods to Tolvan's command.
Seeing the others gathering near, she points to her ear and shakes her head. Then she holds up her hand in a gesture to get them to wait.
She turns to the door and in a low, hoarse voice, she tries to sound like Duristan.
"Hey! It's me! Come on out, I've got news about the Lady and her friends!"
There's no response to Anna's call, but there are three loud knocks on some interior wall.
Kimberly simply remains quiet, knowing that Anna is "at work" and she definitely does not like being disturbed.
Anna frowns at the strange response. She looks back to the others, shrugs her shoulders and knocks three times in answer. "I've done as you've asked! What else do you want!?" she again whispers as best as she can approximate.
She slowly slips back away from the door and readies her crossbow. Then she looks to the others and taps the back of her shoulder three times and points in the direction of the other side of the mill.
"Keep an eye out behind you. I heard knocks inside toward the back."
Tolvan looks on, ready to act. Through his message spell he communicates << I fear they make ready for us. I say act now. >>
<<So do we bust the door down?>> Theopolis whispers as he stows his longsword and shield in favor of his might greatsword, and then retrieves a vial with a small holy symbol of Iomedae on it.
Suspicious that the enemy prepares for their attack Tolvan readies his bow with a silver arrow and sends <<Go!>>
While moving toward the door, Theopolis pulls the top of the vial off and run the contents down the length of the blade.
Anna rolls her eyes and shakes her head, not liking the direct attack that they seem to be forced to make. She positions herself in a spot where she can see inside the mill once the door is battered open.
Kimberly positions herself for support, she is not a real front line person.
May pahrasma bless us as we do her will. she mutters a prayer and a wave of pharasma's blessing engulf the party.
Danica begins to cast Shield of Faith on herself before entering into combat.
Theopolis moves up to the doors and brings the weight of his sword down upon it.
------------------------------------------------------
Current Effects: Oil of bless weapon, 9 rds (Theopolis greatsword);
Tolvan takes up a position behind Theopolis and casts Gravity Bow on his weapon.
The door smashes, revealing the interior of the mill's lower storey; it consists of two interconnected, barn-like rooms with high wooden ceilings. A huge millstone occupies the centre of one room, resting at a cocked angle upon its broken spindle. The skeletal remains of a brace of oxen lie next to it, still harnessed to the millstone shaft with chains. A mountain of mouldering flour sacks slumps against one of the walls. Behind them, a makeshift ladder climbs through an open hatch to the floor above.
Within the room stand two werewolves, already in hybrid form, and obviously prepared for the fight.