Kimberly sits quietly listening to everyone. she reaches for a small dish on the table next to her but as she reaches it slides further away just out of reach.
The sudden movement causes no reaction from the little girl she merely smiles and looks at her teddy then the dish slides back and she reaches it.
she gently picks it up and mimics the orc drinking his coffee. pretending to be just like him.
but just as he looks she stops and and looks away embarassed.
Did... anybody else see that? Anna asks sotto voce. She looks at the Kimberly, leaning away slightly. Then she glances at the others in the room, to gauge their reactions.
Kimgald smiles contently, oblivious to Anna's question due to the woman's face having disappeared from the dwarf's view when she leaned away from Kimberly. Instead he turns his gaze to Kendra.
"I have always found your father's judgement to be without equal. I am surprised he did not discern the reasons for the behavioral changes you mention, though. I have always been amazed by the insight Petros demonstrated, and I find it odd that his inquisitive nature did not cause him to seek answers to a mystery so close to his home."
Kendra's eyes do note the movements of the dish, and she smiles a small grim smile at Anna's question, acknowledging the oddity and trying to show she is unconcerned... mostly. Kendra turns her face towards the dwarf, "I would also be surprised if he was not already engaged in understanding the changes around here, but he also often kept his work to himself, if he felt an idea wasn't fully supported, or he didn't want to worry me. It's possible he didn't have any insights before he, before today." At the end her voice trails off, the conversation poking closely at some very raw feelings.
The young wizard looks somewhat awkward as he speaks, not knowing exactly how best to bring his question up. I hope you will forgive me if it is insensitive to ask, and the last thing I desire is to cause you pain, but with all the discussion of things going darker in these parts I need to inquire about the nature of your father's passing. What happened to him? Had he been ill? Tolvan plays with his cup nervously waiting for a response.
Did... anybody else see that? Anna asks sotto voce.
Pyotr looked around to the human lady, following her gaze over to where Kimberly sat in conversation with her teddy bear. Was she sitting a bit too casually? Was she too obviously not looking in his direction?
Pyotr turned away, keeping the child just within his peripheral vision. He took a guarded sip of his coffee, returning the cup to its saucer with an audible clink. A bare second later he heard another light clink of china from behind him. So that's the game.
Pyotr squared his shoulders, straightening his back ramrod straight. Placing all his weight upon his back foot, he held his foreleg at a cant, aping the pose of some fox-hunting aristocrat Pyotr had once seen in a tapestry in Vigil. He could see the movement in his peripheral vision. Strangely, Pyotr was sublimely unconscious of how comical he must have appeared to the others in the room.
I hope you will forgive me if it is insensitive to ask, and the last thing I desire is to cause you pain, but with all the discussion of things going darker in these parts I need to inquire about the nature of your father's passing. What happened to him? Had he been ill?
Pyotr abandoned his posing and turned fully towards Kendra. He held silent, waiting for the response.
Kendra bristles just a little at Tolvan's question, clearly the hurt still fresh, but she relaxes as quickly as she angered, "No, you are right to ask, it is no secret and he would have wanted you all to know." She stands and paces to the window, looking out into the rain, which has gotten slightly worse. Turning back to all of you she begins, "Seventeen days ago my fathers was found at Harrowstone, that damned-cursed place, with his head crushed grotesquely by a fallen gargoyle from the roof. It was deemed an accident, and people have been asking what he was doing up there in the first place. It's not a pleasant place, and I'd asked him to avoid it before, much good it did." She takes out a kerchief and daps at her eyes and wipes gently at her nose. Quietly, "Silly old fool." with a deep sadness in her eyes.
Kimberly stops her game when Kendra tells of the circumstances of 'the doctors' passing. she puts the disch down on the table and walks over to Kendra.
She looks up to her and tugs at her dress. When Kendra looks down she hads her teddy to Kendra.
He makes the hurt go away
Harrowstone? A cursed place?
Tolvan stands and begins to pace, oblivious to the slight sloshing of his cup, spilling tastes of its contents onto the floor. How tragic. he says, stating the obvious. But an accident? I wonder.
I seem to recall something of that place. What do you know of it, and why do you think your father was there?
After listening to her answer he also asks Was he known to go to Harrowstone on more than this occasion and did he go alone? Also who found him?
Anna's lips press together in a tight line at Kendra's reassurance. She settles back in her chair for a moment, listening to the conversation.
She winces at the manner of the professor's demise.
Not sure what to make of Kimberly, Anna ignores her actions. Harrowstone? What's that? Some castle, or manor house?
Kendra accepts the teddy, looks at it for a moment, and then runs her hand down Kimberlys hair, "Yes he does, perhaps we can share." She then turns and nods at Pyotr, "That's right."
Kendra remains impassive at Tolvans pacing, "I know what most do, and some have heard. Rumor or fact, the general consensus is thus."
Some small towns grow up around a university, their shops and other offerings catering to a scholastic clientele. Others boast famous festivals or specialized industries that draw skilled artisans and craftsmen. But in the sad case of Ravengro, the town’s claim to fame is a prison. And not just any prison, for Ravengro supported one of Ustalav’s most notorious jails—Harrowstone. Twice a year, a prison convoy rounded up the worst of the worst from smaller, less secure jails across the principality and transferred them to Harrowstone, often to await death by hanging, but always to live out the rest of their lives as prisoners.
In the 50 years that followed the Harrowstone Fire, the town of Ravengro moved on to become a pleasant (and perhaps even boring) farming community. Yet the town’s old-timers remember well the eerie prison caravans that carried monsters through the town. And none in Ravengro can ignore the brooding, dark ruin of the old prison that looms on the hill overlooking the town. Tales of the prison being haunted are traded by Ravengro’s youths, and on certain dark nights they taunt each other to touch the rusting bars on the prison windows. Dares to spend the night in the edifice are routinely posed and never accepted. It was one such group of youth that ran back to town claiming they'd seen a body up near the the building, that was enough to rouse the Sherrif and his men, and find Professor Lorrimors body.
Kendra lets the information sink in for a few moments before answering Tolvan, "He didn't go often, but when he was this close to home he almost always worked alone. Only when he went far afield would he rely on local experts."
"You mentioned a fire." Kimgald has set his cider on a nearby end table and retrieved a block of cheese from his pack. He idle breaks off small pieces and pops them in his mouth, chewing each slowly. "Is that why this Harrowstone Prison is no longer in use? What happened?"
The elf continues his pacing, picking up the pace slightly as he rapidly relates what he recalls of Harrowstone.
A place like this, associated with so much torment and death is likely to attract Haunts and even more aggressive apparitions. Your father's interest in this place alone could be the cause for the locals to believe him involved in necromancy. He stops and looks for a long moment at Kendra. Tell me, what was he doing up at Harrowstone?
After a response he continues, talking to the room. Structurally such a ruin would continue to decay over time, or course, but the likelihood that a piece of stone as large as a gargoyle breaking free, by itself, to fall and strike the profession is extremely small. So small in fact, that it is easier to believe said piece of masonry had some help in its unfortunate tumble. Tell us dear Kendra, did your father have any enemies.
After Kendra tells her tale of the Professor's demise Kimberly falls silent and slowly walks to the center of the room. she address the group in a voice not quite her own
The spirits are restless, they want freedom, They are evil
then as suddenly as the event started it stops and Kimberly looks around confused. she quickly makes the sign of the lady of the graves over her heart and a wave of positive energy bursts from her.
She then runs and grabs the teddy from Kendra and hides under a table. Obviously scared or more likely terrified
Structurally such a ruin would continue to decay over time, or course...
Is this Harrowstone in decay? It is merely a tall tale from what little I know. What is this Harrowstone? What brings this curse down upon it?
You mentioned a fire.
What fire was this? When did it occur?
The spirits are restless, they want freedom, They are evil
Pyotr looked from face to face, feeling nearly entirely lost. Please, I understand little of this.
Kendra nods at Kimgald, Yes, the entire prison burnt down. It was long before my time and I don't know any of the details, except that everyone inside was supposed to have died. People from town who were alive don't speak about it."
Turning to Tolvan she can only shrug, "When Father wanted to keep from boring me, or protect me, he'd always say 'Too early for a discourse Kendra, too early for a discourse.' I heard that whenever I'd ask what he'd gone up there to do."
When Kimberly has her strange outburst and rushes under the table, Kendra moves quickly to her side, trying to comfort the terrified girl.
Suddenly aware that his questions might not me the most appropriate, Tolvan blushes visibly and takes his seat, spilling even more of his hardly touched drink. oh, yes, you are quite right Kimgald. Please forgive me Kendra. Its only, well, if you father did come to foul play I should like to know about it and try to set things as right as they might be set.
Kendra gives Kimgald a small smile, and pats the air towards Tolvan, "No good sir, it is quite alright, you are only voicing concerns I've thought to myself a dozen times over in the last two weeks. But perhaps we can take a break from talking about his death." She turns to each of you, "Now some stories I know better than others, but if you wouldn't mind telling us of your connection to my father? I think I'd like that very much." She looks around hopefully at each of your faces.
Looking to the others, and seeing that no one is immediately talking Tolvan tells his tale. While young for an elf, I am quite old to be partitioning for an apprenticeship at the academy of Wizards. I had started my career as more of a sell sword and guard for archeological expeditions than anything else. Seems I am naturally good with a bow, and have pretty good vision, and people were willing to pay me to have me around in areas that were a little dangerous. I liked the traveling life. That suited me just fine for a while. Hey, I got to see the world too.
Tolvan leans forward as he continues to talk. But after a few years of this I grew board and wanted a little more out of life. I had saved a few coins and did not mind spending them to enroll myself at the famous University of Lepidstadt in Ustalav. I had checked around and it has the best rep for teaching magic. And there I met your father.
Leaning back slightly and clearing his throat he continues. I guess I did well enough on my own, but was never a favored student. Most professors thought I leaned too heavily on what I knew – on sword and bow. They wanted to me more fully trust in magic, but I saw magic as something to assist my weapons. I have to tell you, that view was not too popular. But your father seemed to understand. He took an interest me and he was the one to suggest I focus on conjuration and teleportation. Turns out I had a knack for it. Your father encouraged me, and with his help I got through and earned my spurs, if you will.
The elf, building in tone, moves to the edge of his seat and finishes. But if that was all there was to the story I don’t think I would have received the letter from your father’s estate and I don’t think we would have ever met. Half way through year three at the university I was walking back from a lab late one night and came upon a couple of local thugs in the process of robbing the professor. They had him down, and I think had hurt him more than they intended to. They already had his coin purse and were discussing what to do with him when I happened by. They never expected a student would come to his aid, or that the student would be packing three feet of elven steel. It was a short fight. Most of those types don’t have much real fight in them. I got the coin purse back and after I got your father some help. He was very grateful, saying I had saved his life. I don’t know about that. Likely I only saved his coin purse, but they might have actually done him in if I had not come by. Afterwards we were better friends. But he was still the professor and I the student and I did to see much of him except in the classroom.
Kimgald continues to massage his head, his temperament having noticeably soured somewhat. He pauses, reclaims his cider, and sips the liquid almost therapeutically."I seem to remember the Professor mentioning that incident in a letter. Said he was glad you were there. Petros had a talent for finding trouble. Probably why we ended up friends."
"The Professor heard about my accident, though he never mentioned how; my kin kept close-lipped about it. He started nosing about Highhelm, looking for me. My grandam nearly caved his head in when he showed up asking about things he shouldn't have known."
"He ended up teachin' me how to survive again. When my sight returned a bit, meager as it is, he taught me how to read lips. How to read the common tongue, at least. We ended becoming friends, and kept in touch as best we could. Not much else to tell."
Anna stands, and nods her head toward Tovan and Kimgald. Those are nice stories. I was a student too, when he did a guest stint at the Pitax University. I didn't save his life, or anything. I just, well, he liked hearing about the different folk superstitions I knew about. Not that many of them were effective.
She takes a deep breath, and glances in Kimberly's direction. Her outburst earlier clearly unsettling her. Yeah, so apparently Sparkles here is saying there's evil spirits about. In a burned up prison. And the good Professor went up there? Without backup?
Whatever superstitions say about haunted areas, there's usually one very good piece of advice: stay away from them.
She gives Kendra a sorry look, somewhat ashamed of her outbust. She empties her glass and moves just adjacent to the door, then leans against the wall, crossing her arms.
As the stories are being shared Kimberly comes out of hiding. She looks rather sad apparently ashamed of what happened.
patiently waits until she is given the chance to speak being very carful to not inturupt anyone.
I am sorry if I have said anything to upset everyone. she looks to the dwarf
I am sorry for making your head hurt.
she then goes to the Orc
I am sorry if I was mean to you, I never met an orc, at least what I can remember
she then looks to Anna
I am sorry if I scared you I didn't learn to control my visions yet
she pauses a moment
I met the doctor in the graveyard but he said he met me before that. anyway I was scared then to and did the same thing i did here but that time a bunch of monsters were there and they ran away before they could eat the doctor. after that he came to see me in the hospital almost everyday. he was so nice he wanted help me. I didn't understand why I was here, but I know it now.
Kimberly goes to each of those present.
don't you see, each of us is a part of the doctor. you <going to the dwarf> you are his wisdom, his understanding of the past.
she moves to the Orc and you, you are his strength not just muscles but his strong will
next she goes to the elf you are his misunderstandings his humor
she then move to Anna and you are his love; he knew that all you needed in the world was someone to care about, someone to put before yourself
she then goes to Kendra don't you see we are your daddy's final gift to you each of us are a part of him
she then goes to the middle of the room was it fate that brought us together or was it something more
she then in turn goes to each person in the room and hugs them Thank You
A look of horror crosses Kimgald's face as Kimberly apologizes to him. After the girl makes her way around the room he clears his throat. "Dear girl, you have nothing to apologize for. You did nothing wrong. You certainly did nothing to cause me pain." The dwarf's voice raises with his final statement. It is clear he is laying blame upon someone else, but it does not seem to be directed at anyone in the room.
Unfortunately, I cannot truly say that I knew your father at all. The day we crossed paths was a day of trial, of fire and sword.
I was digging through the trash pits of some village. It may even have been this one. I never knew its name or where on a map it lay. I had gleaned enough from the midden that I would not suffer hunger that night. Then the horde attacked.
They told me it was the tribe of Gorn the Black Foot, of the Murdered Child Clan. An entire company of Lastwall's knights had tracked them across the border, following the wake of death and destruction. I did not know it was the horde. I thought the townsfolk were coming to drive me away.
The old man appeared from nowhere. The orc was close upon him. I did not wish to see your father slaughtered before my eyes. Nor did I wish to see an Orc of the tribe of the Black Foot, of the Murdered Child Clan, killed by the knights of Lastwall. I do not wish death upon anyone. So, I fought.
The knight-captain wished to kill orcs. They would have killed me, if the Professor had not intervened. Instead, by his word, they carried me to Vigil, and placed me before the Precentors Martial.
Pyotr looked squarely at Kendra. I only crossed paths with this Professor Lorrimor briefly. But, it changed the course of my life dramatically. For good or ill, I believe he intended to set me, to set us, upon another course. He pulled the invitation to the funeral from his belt pouch. I would know why..?
Kendra thanks each of you quietly as you share your stories, trying and failing to hide her look of consternation as Kimberly speaks of them being here for a greater purpose. She says "Thank you for sharing those stories, I realize they might be extremely personal, but I do feel as if I know my father just a little bit better for it." About then you hear a knock on the door, and Kendra rushes to open it.
It is a wet Councilman Hearthmount, and he carries a large waterproof bag in front of him. Once his coat has been taken and most of the water shaken off, he stands at the entrance to the room. Kendra appears next to him and points him to a medium sized desk in the corner of the room. Nodding, he makes his way over there and begins laying out his things without a word. Once paper, pen, and quill are ready, he lays the bag next to the desk and produces a scrollcase, sealed in wax. He lifts the case for all to see, showing the seal is unbroken, "This is Professor Lorrimor's seal for those of you new in town." He looks at each of the strangers a half-second too long for it to be a 'normal look' and then returns to his task. Apparently he's not thrilled about outsiders involved in local matters, but is too professional and practical to really protest. He refers to a smaller paper, full of notes, and looks up, counting you mentally, "Everyone appears to be accounted for," and looks down at little Kimberly, "including the child." He gives the scrollcase a hard twist, breaking the seal. As soon as he removes the lid a small iron key tumbles out onto the desk with a noisy clatter. Ignoring the key Hearthmount removes the will and begins to read in a loud and formal voice, eager to finish this business and be back in his own home.
"I, Petros Lorrimor, being of sound mind, do hereby commit to this parchment my last will and testament. Let it be known that, with the exception of the specific details below, I leave my home and personal belongings entire to my daughter Kendra. Use them or sell them as you see fit, my child.
"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 4712."
The councilman finishes, and looks over at Kendra, who thanks and dismisses him. Nodding he pulls a chest out of the bag on the floor and places it on the table with a thump, and then takes his leave back into the rain.
Turning to you she says, "Thank you all for being here, and I'll need at least a few weeks to decide if I'm selling this place or not. In the meantime you're all welcome to stay here, I'll gladly offer free room and board to those my Father trusted so completely. This is a spacious house, and it's been more empty than I thought possible these last few weeks. If not for Kimberly... well. I'll say you're welcome and leave it at that." She then turns to the desk and picks up the key, twisting it nervously. Placing it next to the chest, a small object of oak and iron, "I don't think I can open it, would one of you please do the honors?"
Tolvan stands. Old tomes fall under my expertise. Please allow me. He moves to the chest and examines it closely and slowly, turning it on the table and then tilting it to examine its bottom.
The elf then picks up the key and examines it for a moment before placing it into the lock and opening the small chest. Continuing with caution, he will examine the contents.
Anna had looked like she was seriously contemplating taking off entirely and skipping the business of the will. When she hears about the coin, though, she whistles loudly and settles back down.
Studying the chest for several minutes, with mundane and magical senses, Tolvan eventually slides the key into the lock (which fits perfectly) and opens the chest. Inside he sees several old tomes and one newer one. The new one sits on top and the words are scratched into the front cover. Three other, older books have notes tucked into them indicating they should be delivered to a Mr Montagnie Cowl, a professor at the University of Lepidstadt. The last of the older books is a deep purple color, with a note instructing you to deliver it to Embreth Daramid, a judge at the Lepidstadt Courthouse -this notes also specifies this book should be delivered in all secrecy, and to the judges home (the address is there) to ensure maximum secrecy.
With no surprises from the chest Tolvan relaxes a little, picks up the book on top, and shows it the assembled as he closes the chest with his free hand. This volume likely has further instructions for us. I believe it best not to get ahead of ourselves here so lets see what further Professor Lorrimor has to say before we pursues the other tomes. He opens the newer book to the beginning and begins reading out loud.
Kimgald stands from his chair and takes up a position across from Tolvan in order to better see both the elf's lips move and the book he reads from. The dwarf remains quiet as he 'listens' intently.
What follows is a series of exciting and boring entries from the Professor detailing his daily activities. Tolvan can see the dates at the start of each entry. He also notices some entries are circled in red ink, possibly blood, and soon Tolvan has picked out and read these specific entries in their entirety. Kendra writes down these entries on a new piece of paper and then holds it out for all to see, or for Tolvan to read.
Tolvan notes as well that the date of the final entry was the day Professor Lorrimor died. There is a stunned silence from Kendra as the last entry is read, and she sits dumbfounded.
Kimgald sighs and his shoulders slump as reads the pages of Lorrimor's journal. "It would seem we are destined to continue addressing the circumstances of Petros' death. These passages certainly make it clear he expected he might meet his end within the ruins of Harrowstone, or at least considered it a very real possibility." The dwarf strokes his beard thoughtfully as he considers the late Professor's writings.
Digesting the full meaning of the words he just read Tolvan allows himself to fall back into the padded chair, pondering what he recalls about this cult.
The Whispering Way is a sinister organization of necromancers that has been active in the Inner Sea region for thousands of years.
The Whispering Way itself is a series of philosophies that can only be transferred via whispers— the philosophies are never written or spoken of loudly, making the exact goals and nature of the secretive philosophy difficult for outsiders to learn much about.
Kendra puts her hand to her forehead, "I suddenly do not feel well, this new information is terrible and I'm not prepared to deal with it. Before I retire, I'll repeat my earlier invitation to stay here, or there's an inn available in town. I'll have breakfast at 8 tomorrow morning, whether you stay or not I hope you'll all join me then. Feel free to let yourselves out. Kimberly, don't stay up too late." The beautiful woman is clearly out of sorts and having trouble focusing, but she makes her way out of the room and down the hall. You can hear footsteps going up some stairs and then into a room, the door closing softly. There is a fire going in the sitting room, and drinks still available.
"The cult Petros describes discovering ... its presence here is troubling. They truly are necromancers, and the people of this community are right to fear them. It is no wonder the Professor was investigating their activities."
Talvan agrees with Kimgald and relates what he knows about the cult.
And because of that I have some work to do this night before I retire. He reaches for the chest, opens it and removes the next tome. I plan to stay here for the night and would appreciate some company. I do not believe we should leave the house unguarded in any event and I plan to keep my weapons close. Anna, would you mind seeing what you can do to secure us? At least lets make sure all doors and windows are locked. And if a trip wire alarm or two were to be set I would not say it was unwarranted.
He settles into the chair and opens the book, starting with the title and then page one, but paying particular attention to the marked pages and any notes. But before he reads much at all he stands back up and begins to busy himself with a few chores and adds. We should make sure there is ample firewood and that the lamps are all full as well. Darkness is not our friend tonight. Some things are better read in full light. And do you recall when the professor said in his diary that he was retrieving some necessary tools to defend against spirits from the church of Pharisma? I wonder what they might be?
At any rate we should do a search of the house tomorrow, with Kindra's permission of course, to see if we can find them, or any other clues. I suspect if he had any they would have been with him and wonder what, if anything was recovered with the body? I need to make a not to ask Kendra about that tomorrow.
Tolvan goes about his chores of checking/gathering wood and oil and then returns to study the remaining tomes. He has spells memorized, and is willing to stay up late, getting less than 8 hours of sleep, if needed to read through all the books. He welcomes both company and help with the reading and will not nay-say a suggestion of posting guards.
The Whispering Way... Undeath... These are ill tidings.
Pyotr listens patiently to any information known about the Whispering Way.
Tar-Baphon, The Whispering Tyrant... that name is known to me. Lastwall was founded by the Knights of the Shining Crusade, after the defeat of that necromancer.
We must discover what, or whom, they sought within Harrowstone. And if possible, we must prevent them from attaining it.