René blinked. He wasn't really sure how one (?) person was somehow more of a threat than multiple goblins. Really, the only challenge there was finding the person responsible and then sending numbers after him or her. "What makes ya think this 'ere killa knows one of us? Were there some message left or sommat?"
"Yes, it seems there was."
He hands over a folded parchment with Aurora's name scrawled on the ourtside, in blood.
Inside, it reads:
"You will learn to love me, desire me in time as she did. Give yourself to the Pack and it shall all end."
"What does it say René?"
Tylur waits for René to read back the note wondering the same thing as everyone else, 'Why would anyone target them? Did we not just save this place?'
Wishing to respect her privacy, René hands the note over to Aurora without opening it.
Cordwin sees the Aurora's name in what looks like blood. Oh...That can't be good!
René raised an eyebrow. "Any y'all know what 'the Pack' is? Though iff'n 'rora supposed ta give 'erself over ta them, they gotta make 'emselves know ta her somehow. Sheriff, any idea who this other 'she' is? Any girl gone missing? Or any of them there murdered folk happen ta be women, mayhaps of the fair variety?"
"A pack? Like wolves? Or cards?"
The sheriff responds, "I was hoping you could tell me. Could just be another person that went crazy. But other than the recent victims I mentioned, no one else has been reported missing."
Sounds like he's a few tankards short of a barrel of ale! Cordwin muses. I think we'll investigate this for you Sheriff. He turns to the group, Shall we head to the sawmill?
Tylur nods at Cordwin's suggestion and he turns to say something to Aurora but then chooses to keep quiet.
"Hopefully the sawmill will give us some clues as to who this is. Thank you for bringing this to our attention Sheriff."
"Cards? Why would a fella, or a lady -- I don' wanna go an' pre-judge no one -- want Aurora to turn 'erself over ta some cards? Sounds more like an animal thing, iffn ya ask me. Like some of that there alpha wolf bull or sommat. Though they can't be all that smart if they ain't gonna actually tell us how ta end this here thing like they want."
René didn't really like the idea of investigating this. But he also didn't like the idea of leaving Aurora out to dry. That kind of behavior just didn't sit right with him. Especially with all this clearly possessive psycho crap in that note. This killer clearly wanted to make Aurora his or hers, and people who thought they could possess other sentient beings were never good news. Aurora was a grown woman who deserved autonomy! Besides, if things get too dangerous, I can still run away...
He stands, making a big show of sighing heavily and rolling his eyes and getting dragged along. This was clearly such a hassle and he was being so imposed upon.
”I guess I’m in, cards or wolves, it doesn’t matter. Aurora sounds threatened, and that isn’t ok.”
"Before you go, let me give you some more information. Also, I think it is best that I deputize you, to give you some official status."
Sheriff Hemlock runs the current list of clues by them. He informs you that while he'll be working with you to figure out what's going on, he suspects he'll have his hands full keeping the peace in town. By deputizing you, he hopes that the best possible minds and resources will be focused on solving the murders, leaving him and his guards to the task of keeping Sandpoint from erupting in a panic. He promises you all the support you want, but again asks them to keep their investigations quiet for the town's sake.
Hemlock provides the following list of leads:
SANDPOINT LUMBER MILL: The most recent murders took place here-the bodies are still present, and little has been done with the crime scene itsel£ Sheriff Hemlock suggests that this should be the first place the PCs investigate, since he would like to clean the mill up right away and get the bodies buried.
IBOR THORN: Sheriff Hemlock has interrogated Ibor, the man who discovered the bodies at the lumber mill, and doesn't suspect the frightened man knows much more.
VEN VINDER: This merchant is Sheriff Hemlock's only suspect, although the sheriff is fairly certain that Ven is innocent and that the murders were committed by someone else.
THE FIRST MURDERS: Three con men from the town of Galduria were found murdered in an abandoned barn south of town a few days ago-their bodyguard survived the assault but has gone insane and was sent to Habe's Sanatorium-a privately run respite for the insane.
THERUNE: The star carved on one victim's chest certainly has significance to the killer, but Hemlock's at a loss as to what it means. Perhaps an expert on runes (such as local scholar Brodert Quink) can be consulted?
I agree! Cordwin says while beaming at becoming a deputy, Let's explore the lumber mill first!
Tylur nods, "Agreed. The place of the last attack seems to be a good place to find clues."
If things get too dangerous, you can run away at any time. You haven't made any promises. You're just looking into a few things. That's all. No big deal.
René shrugs non-committally, rolling his eyes in an exaggerated fashion as he follows Cordwin and Tylur to the lumber mill.
The Sandpoint Lumber Mill stands on the shore of the Turandarok River. A sizeable crowd has gathered outside by the time you arrive, and groups of nervous looking town guards stand at the mill's entrances.
The guards nod silently and step aside to allow you entry. They must know of your deputized status.
The mill is a well-built wooden structure with very thick walls. The roof is of wooden shingles, and doors are simple timber and unlocked.
Timber is delivered to the mill via a small pier that extends out into the Turandarok River.
The mill interior is coated with sawdust strewn with footprints and splashes of blood. Harker's body, Katrine's body, a suspicious axe, and a lingering stench of rotten flesh constitute the primary clues here.
The lingering scent of decay in the air is curious-it smells almost as if an animal had died somewhere in the room and its remains were allowed to ripen. Poor Katrine's mangled, ruined remains lie on the mill's lower floor amid heaps of bloodstained firewood. A pale-faced, obviously upset guard stands at attention nearby. The log splitter itself is powered by a waterwheel and consists of a chute in the floor with rotating saw blades that cut logs as they are fed in.
Harker's body has been horribly desecrated. The poor man has been affixed to the wall by several hooks normally used to hang machinery. The body is mutilated, the face carved away and lower jaw missing entirely. His bare chest is defaced as well, bearing a strange rune in the shape of a seven-pointed star.
A handaxe is embedded in the floor near the log splitter, as if it had been dropped there.
Tylur looks down at the body somewhat troubled with the way the bodies have been left. When he sees the man's mutilated body Tylur moves closer to the corpse.
Speaking out loud Tylur directs his question to Cordwin "In Cheliax it is not unheard of to have someone speak with the spirit of those that have died suspiciously. Do you think the Father would have this ability?"
Tylur looks at the tracks left in the sawdust. "Let's see how many came in here."
"Unless I heard wrong, this mill was functioning as late as last night. Harker and Thorn were both here working."
Skarn will also try and find tracks, to understand how the man died, any religious significance to the killing?
The seven point star looks familiar, maybe the same as a medallion you recently found? Skarn gives it some though.
Tyler points out that a desperate struggle took place here several hours ago. He can also tell that one set of prints in particular is not only barefoot, but reeks of rotten meat.
"The star seems familiar, but I am not quite placing it. Where is that medallion we found? Let me compare the two."
Cordwin ponders Tylur's question. It is possible but sometimes the answers can be tricky. We can certainly ask him.
Cordwin will search the room to see if he can see anything 'out of place'.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Skarn looks around for tracks, or signs of the scuffle that might have ensued...
+1 to track, +2 vs giants
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Speaking out loud Tylur directs his question to Cordwin "In Cheliax it is not unheard of to have someone speak with the spirit of those that have died suspiciously. Do you think the Father would have this ability?"
René scratches his chin. "Now, I ain't no magic expert or nuthin', but don't ya, y'know, need a mouth ta talk? I don't think Harker would be in any condition ta sit us down fer a chat. That there Miss Katrine might be in a better condition though."
Squinting, he moves closer to the mutilated body of Harker. As he examines it, Hadley leans out from his position in René's bag, sniffs at the corpse, and then quickly pulls away. Looking at his long-eared companion, René frowns and then imitates him. "Wooo-weee. Now don't that stink half-way ta high heaven! These here smaller scratches smell rotten as a dead skunk! Don't look like the other, deeper wounds none either. Like sommat with claws rather than some kinda weapon. You think he were attacked by a rotten creature or just one with some kinda disease that makes a fella rot extra quick?"
He pauses, trying to make head or tails of the strange rune. "Hey, didn't we find sommat like this back when we wuz trackin' Tsu-toe? I think Cordwin said it was some magicky gimmick from the days o' yore. Thassy-long? Thass-a-log?"
He then turns to the people checking tracks. "Say, I once knew a fella could tell a story from just them there prints. Y'all able ta do that? You think these here dead folk got attacked by rotten meat an' lost? Or that someone, mebbe th'other miller Thorn, was here an' got away? Even if he weren't, may want ta check in with him ta find out why Miss Katrine mighta been hanging 'round these here parts. If this was related ta the note 'Rora got, maybe this was our psycho's previous obsession an' Harker was jus' in tha wrong place atta wrong time. Or mebbe they was a couple and our stalker got jealous?"
René spends a few moments sniffing the air and wandering about. He looks pretty foolish doing so, especially when he's unable to find whatever he's looking for. Eventually, he gives up and pulls out his everburning torch to get a look inside the lumber chute.
Quietly trailing behind the others back to town and remaining lost in thought. They were barely prepared for what was there and the guard were almost useless.
Taking the note René hands her and reading it before handing it back to René. Everyone is talking but it is kind of white noise in her ears for a little while. Who is that?
Looking around the bloody scene and frowning, "Are we sure that note is related. And yeah some people can talk to the dead but I do not know if this town has anyone like that."
Skarn notices the tracks outside as well. Same bare feet, same nasty smell. He tracks them outside to find a set of muddy footprints that leads from one end of the pier up to the mill itself. It appears that a barefoot human man clambered up from the mud under the pier, crossed over to the mill, and then scaled the wall to an upper-floor window.
Cordwin examines the handaxe that is embedded in the floor near the log splitter, as if it had been dropped there. The handle is covered with bloody finger-marks, and a close examination of the head reveals two things of note. First, smears of what look like rotten flesh and fragments of bone are caked on its blade, and second, the rotten meat stink is strong on it.
René gags as his attempts to find the source of the rotting smell result in him getting a bit too big of a lungful of the terrible stench. He quickly hurries outside where he loses his breakfast in the bushes.
After several minutes he returns to the doorway of the mill, still looking green. "I think...they used that there axe...agin some sorta rotted critter."
Biting the inside of her cheek and watching René run off, the retching sounds definitely not helping. But with how the last few days have been a sort of numbness has settled in.
Shaking off the anxiety over that bloody note that makes no sense and instead giving over to the current situation. Moving to crouch next to the nasty axe. It is not a smell she knows but she has heard its description in vivid detail from people too deep into their cups.
Glancing back at the others, "Whoever had this fought some kind of undead. That is not the smell of recent death. And the smell is just like what people have described ghast's." I can still be useful.
Foul as the smell might be Tylur does his best not to be affected by it and breathes through his mouth.
"A ghast? Should we be worried?"
"A ghast you say? Probably it came from the water down here mebbe? Hmm, now what do I remember about ghasts..."
+3 to identify creature abilities and weaknesses
I wonder if the battle with the ghast might have made him crazy!
Besides the obvious issues with being undead, Aurora tells you that a ghast can paralyze you with a simple scratch, or much worst, a bite. In addition, it is suspected that dying at the hands of a ghast would likely cause your corpse to rise as a ghoul as well.
Still feeling pretty ill, René stays towards the edge of the room. "That ain't no way for a fella ta go out. Least he won't know what kinda monster he done got turned inta though. But we should make with the burning of these here bodies, and any of the other ones afore they go 'n arise. Still think we should go 'n see if Thorn knows why these two were 'ere last night. And mebbe stock up on some kinda anti-p'ralisis herbs. Or at least nose plugs if it still stinks this bad hours later." He pauses, holding one hand to his mouth to hold back his vomit. "And mebbe some ginger or sommat ta settle my stomach?"
Nodding, "All of that seems reasonable, though before we burn the bodies we should figure out if someone can speak with the deceased."
I agree! Before we burn the bodies and speak to Thorn let's make sure we don't leave any clues behind.
"Iff'n we's still gonna do the gabber with Miss Katrine, might want ta do that first in case she is gonna turn on us. Don't fancy stayin' with sommat might go 'n rise from the dead longer than we hafta."
You realize that there isn't going to be much talking with the dead here, and don't see any other clues to follow. So you let the guards know what their next steps should be and head out.
Harker's partner Ibor is a young man, handsome if a bit narrow-faced. He is still in shock after having discovered the bodies when he arrived at work this morning. Although the sheriff already interrogated Ibor, Hemlock admits that you might be able to get something out of the miller that he could not. He cautions them to be gentle in their interrogation, though-Thorn's been through a lot in the last few hours. Ibor waits in a holding cell below the Sandpoint Garrison.
He refuses to say anything more, claiming nervously that he's already told the sheriff everything he knows.
Aye! Of course you did. Cordwin says in a soothing manner. But why don't you close your eyes and picture everything you saw and heard and tell us what it is you saw and heard.
Knowing that he isn't particularly diplomatic, René hung back to let someone more soothing do the talking.
Ibor sighs heavily. He relates the story of coming to the mill in the morning and finding the bodies, which matches up with everything you already know. He also confirms that Harker had frequent midnight trysts with Katrine, but although Ven's a protective father, Ibor doesn't think he's capable of doing what was done to the victims.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Skarn looks hard at Ibor, and turns to Cordwin, "he knows more. He's not telling us something."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Cordwin again speaks in a soothing voice to try and coax more information-after all, getting information is his specialty.
See! Doesn't that feel good to get it out? But there is something else! That something else is weighing you down. Speak it aloud and the weight will be lifted from your shoulders!
"Harker had been "cooking the books" for some time. I never took part in the scams, but I suspect Harker might have stashed away quite a lot of money by skimming from the top of sales and business over the past several years. The Scarnettis, they might have found out."
The Scarnettis are the noble family that owns the lumber mill, and have a reputation for being ruthless.
"I heard rumors that they're responsible for burning several competing grain mills in the region, after all, and I wouldn't put it above the Scarnettis to hire someone to kill Harker if they found out he'd been embezzling money."
"They say I may be here for quite some time. Will you come back and visit me?"
"That sounded truthful to me."
Smiling at the man, "Thank you very much. And we can try."
Of course I will come back to visit you. Cordwin coos. Get some rest now. He then turns to the others. Shall we speak with Ven Vinder next?