The monk sitting at desk looks up from his work as the the party begins to snipe at one another, regarding you all with a sever gaze. He makes no overt attempts to intercede, but when Valachi and Agnar volunteer to leave, one of the acolytes seems eager to escort them back to the cathedral.
Delia: One of the assisting acolytes is mentions to you that in fact Harrowstone housed the worst of Ustalav's criminals, and as such most of the nation's executions where carried out there. He shows you a list of the names of those who perished in the fire, among them the prison's warden, his wife Vesorianna, and various guards and inmates. In particular, their are notations next to five of the prisoner's names indicating they were marked for execution in the immediate future due to the heinous nature of their crimes. They were Sefick Corvin, Vance Saetressle, Ispin Onyxcudgel, Hean Feramin, and one simply listed as "The Piper."
"Put her body on the bed.
Take a knife and lop her head.
Watch the blood come out the pipe.
Feed the stirge, so nice and ripe.
Drops of red so sparkly bright.
Splatter spell her name just right.
With a hammer kills his wife.
Now he wants to claim your life.
Tricksy father tells a lie.
Listen close or you will die."
Sagaar ambles through the town asking chance passerbys what they know to be in the old ruins. He checks in different stores and shops, hoping to find someone who might know more on the subject.
Grim song, from the mouths of babes, Val thinks to himself. He chuckles at the irony of such gruesome lyrics sung to a childrens rhyme. His smile fades as thoughts of his own childhood arise, wherein he never had such innocence.
Delia stands, stretches, rubs her eyes, and then her neck as she rolls her shoulders. Having spent the last five hours in study, she tries to loosen up some of the knots and strain that have eased into her joints.
After feeling more relaxed she heads over to where Zhan is doing his research to present him with what she has found thus far. "Zhan, I think we may have a couple directions to look into. There is a couple names of prisoners marked for execution due to heinous crimes that also died in the fire. Maybe one of these is malevolent enough to haunt such a place. I will see if I can find any more info on the nature of their crimes as well, that may give us more to go off of." Stretching again, while trying to stifle a yawn she adds, "After that I think I'm ready to call it a day and head back to the house."
After she finishes talking to Zhan, she heads back over to try and finish the latest line of research, specifically into the criminals marked for execution. Quickly realizing that she is having no luck finding anything associated with the community itself, she decides to see if they have any more general information out there, and thinks she may have found a lead.
"This is a good lead, Delia. Hopefully we kind find out what other secrets are hidden here. What is the significance of Harrowstone? I have uncovered some information on the Whispering Way; they are more a religion than a cabal, worshiping the very concept of undeath itself. They wish to become immortal as liches, free the whispering tyrant, and remake the earth as an undead realm. They murder any who learn too much of them, and mutilate their mouths, so their body's cannot be forced to speak. They use a gagged skull as their mark. I begin to fear that these are not nice people..."
Zhan continues to read through the books, continuing as long as the young lady reads, both to assist in her efforts, and keep her company.
Zhan stretches back in his chair, and arches his back, trying to rid himself of some of the stiffness that has accumulated in his shoulders. Like Delia, he is exhausted, and his eyes are sore. He pushes himself back from the desk, and moves slowly to put away the last of the tomes and scrolls he was working with. He looks out a window (presuming there is one in the room) and sees the light of the day fading.
"My lady Delia, it seems we have learned all that we can for now. Since neither of us has eaten today, and it is getting late, I suggest we retire back to Lady Lorrimor's home. We can brief the others on all we have learned, and learn the results of their efforts in turn. We can then discuss our next move with the group. If we wish, there may still be time this day to seek out the hidden store the Professor told us of. The monks here reported that we may if we merely bring one along as escort.
After milling about outside for ten hours, Val is ready to move on.
She hands the last of the tomes she was looking at to Father, who reaches up to put it on a shelf out of her arm's length. Nodding to Zhan, she replies "Yes, we should stop. I think we've reached what we can from this resource, and if my stomach growls one more time I'm certain that the whole room will hear it." she says rubbing her empty stomach. "I don't know if they would want us roving around the Restlands at night, even with an escort. If the light is fading, I don't know if WE want to be there this night. All this talk of hauntings, and ghosts, and necromancers." she adds with a nervous chuckle.
Kirill loudly cracks his back. Sitting around pouring over heavy tomes and ledgers in a quiet library for hours on end had helped remind the Varisian why people of his origin prefered an unpredictable and exciting life on the road. He was more than ready to return with the others for a hot meal, and after sitting around for so long, was more than ready to sprint a few laps around Ravengro as well. The time spent in the chapel of Pharasma had done little to calm his unease with being in the temple of a goddess whose primary followers would find his profession distasteful at best and sacreligious and heretical at worst.
Turning to Valachi, Agnar says "Think they will be done soon? "
"One can only hope. If they come up with some leads, it will be worth the wait."
Val recommends we hit the stash now, before its too late, so that we're ready to head to the prison at first light tomorrow.
When they get outside and meet up with the others, Delia waits until they have some distance from the church before she speaks. "Zhan, what I wanted to talk to you about was our manner of divulging information." She begins, "I appreciate your willingness to be forthright, but I think we should temper just how much information we give out to everyone we meet." she pauses to think of the words. "We are investigating a secret cabal of necromancers whose whole organization is passed along in secret. We do not yet know who we can and cannot trust. You do not catch a mouse by stomping so that it knows you are there. You need to sneak up on it." considering it further she adds, "The Professor knew about the cache, but the Pharasmans did not, do you think there might be a chance that he didn't know who he could trust beyond those of us that were included in his last request? I think it would be wise if we act like almost anyone here we do not know could possibly be associated with this Whispering Way."
"This is just how I think we should comport ourselves, if you guys prefer to lay every out in front of you at face value then so be it, I myself will play my hand close to my chest." She finishes.
Agnar shrugs than says "Might as well Valachi. If they will be like this tomorrow as well in the prison we will have to stay with them."
"Hmm, I had not considered that the Way might have infiltrated the Temple of Pharasma. I think it unlikely, but you show wisdom in considering the possibility. I trust the order of Pharasma, which is why I confided in them. I will consider your words before sharing what we have learned with any others along the way, though I hope you understand, I would have regardless. As I said, I trust in the Pharasmans to oppose a cult of undeath, without question. However, I will do my best to take your advice to heart."
"If the consensus is to go now, I am not opposed. Let us ask the Brothers if they can spare their required chaperon immediately."
"I too agree with Valachi." Sagaar says intrude into the conversation after returning from the his travels around the village. Though his efforts were fruitless, he is ready to accommodate the groups consensus.
"The townsfolk know nothing of importance, so even though they couldnt help us with information, it may mean that they are less inclined to interfere in the investigation during the search of the ruins."
"I'm all for looking before you leap, but I think we've just about exhausted the resources available to us for study for the time being and would rather stretch my legs a bit than merely return to Kendra's to lounge about some more. I think it tackling this hidden stash immediately would not only be an exciting change of pace, but also prudent, as then we are free to investigate the prison at first light with no detours. Count that as my vote."
"If we can get this cache before nightfall, that would be preferable. I would rather not get stuck in there in the dark." She urges, to Zhan she responds, "Thank you for hearing me out, I know sometimes my paranoia gets the better of me. I just feel that, in this case, what better place to hide than within the very church one would not expect to find a practicioner of the dark arts."
"I too think we have learned about as much as we can from our research. I agree that we should move on. I am eager to explore the grounds of the prison. I am hoping we can find some sign of what actually happened to the Professor"
"It sounds as though all are in favour of going to the stash immediately, as opposed to later. I have nothing against the idea, and I think there is nothing to be gained by waiting any longer."
Agnar listens to the others as they speak, thinking of what was said he says "I really do not mind which we do first. I really do not know much about what could be help against necromancers and the like."
Night is beginning to slide over the Restlands as you pass once more through the gates, the long shadows of the gravestones creeping across the grass. The grounds are sparsely populated, as local superstition dictates the premises ought to be vacant before the sun sets. Still, a few of the bolder citizens linger to pay their respects in the waning light, and they regard you warily as you make your way down the road known as the Eversleep.
Within minutes you stand at the intersection where you cross the Black Path, another of the flavorfully named pathways running through the cemetery. A series of cracked stepping stones lead to the mausoleum mentioned in the journal, a free-standing granite structure with a pair of leering gargoyles flanking it's heavy stone door. A heavy rusted lock hold the portal shut, forbidding entrance to those who lack business with the departed.
Delia shivers lightly, though not from the cold. All the while she glances furtively around, clearly unnerved to be in the restlands in the encroaching dusk. "Either this does not bode well, or we have signs that the Professor has been here before." She points to the state of the lock.
Seeing the signs of entry, Father moves Delia back as he steps between her and the door, standing tall before anything that might emerge.
"Interesting..." Valachi says, stepping forward cautiously to stand beside Father. He scans the ground around the door to see if he can mark any tracks, to or from.
"Hmmm, I can't make out anything on this stone... or in this light," he mutters. Val stands and carefully removes the broken lock, then shoves the stone door open.
Agnar shrugs after seeing Valachi opening the door than says "I think it might be a good idea if I went in first. He than draws the massive sword from his back holding it at the ready.
The scent of age is upon your nostrils as the door swings open, greeting you with short staircase covered in dust, clearly disturbed by recent footsteps.
The dwindling light streams down the narrow corridor, culminating in a feeble slash of illumination on the tiled floor at their base, though it doesn't extend far beyond that, and it's impossible to determine how big the room lying on the other side of the darkness is, or what its contents might be.
Zhan draws free his own sword, but then transfers it to his off hand. He whispers a soft incantation, and the sword begins to glow, giving off a pure white light. He takes a step forward, following Agnar into the tomb.
"Valachi? These tracks look like they could have been made around when the professor died; 17 days ago. With the lack of wind in here, they could be slightly older or newer, but the timing is possible. Do you agree?
Valachi nods, "It appears that way." Val will follow Agnar into the crypt.
Sagaar stops leaning on his spear, and holds it at the ready. He mumble to himself and the blade of his spear glows a harsh contrast to the dull blackness of the tomb.
He follows Agnar and Zhan into the tomb.
Kirill is casual and at ease, yet remains readily alert. Though he has spent countless hours plundering cemetaries and becoming comfortable with that backdrop, he was also aware of the dangers that they could house; rich misers wanting to be buried with their things of material consequences who lay cunning and dangerous traps to 'protect' them, if not forever, for the span of the lives of their living rivals and undead monstrosities that rise due to foul magics or unlucky circumstance among them. He keeps an eye sharp for the formoer and strings his hunter's bow for the latter, keeping to the rear of the pack. He'd generally perfer to delve into crypts alone, or at the least be near the front of a group so nobody could set off any mechanical or magical dangers that he could detect, but if the professor survived his trek here, at least, then hopefully it should be safe.
Delia moves in reluctantly, hugging her arms around herself, maybe from the cold or maybe just from the chills down her spine. She stays to the back of the group with Kirill, Father immediately moving in front of her ready to face whatever might be inside before she does.
"Recently disturbed..." whispers one of the acolytes. "It's good you brought this to our attention." He makes no further comment, following in silence as Sagaar's light illuminates the room. The darkness is cast aside, revealing a small 25x30 chamber with a single marble pillar on each side, and two heavy wooden doors on the far end, one of them slightly ajar.
Val will check to see where the tracks go.
Zhan will keep pace, advancing with Val and anyone else who continues into the tomb.
The trail leads to the door that has been left ajar, and presumably into whatever lies beyond its threshold. Besides the two doors, no other entrances or exits are apparent, save the one through which you entered.
"If these are indeed Lorrimor's tracks, it seems he went this way." Val moves up to the ajar door and peers around the threshold.
Zhan follows up behind Val as he closes up to the doors, and peers through the threshold. As he moves, he bends to scoop up a loose rock that had fallen to the floor at some point in the distant past. He whispers again, and from the rock springs a new source of light, the stone glowing as bright as a torch. He moves close to Valachi, right behind him so he can look through the door with him. Peering into the general blackness, he makes his best guess at where the center of the chamber lies, and throws the stone there. The stone bounces and skitters across the floor of the chamber, before coming to rest. Lying in the center of the room, most features of the room come into a dull focus.
The door groans noisily as Val pulls it open and steps forward, followed closely by Agnar. There's a small alcove on the other side, no more than ten feet deep and twenty feet wide, and on the other end of it, there is yet another stairway, also marked with recent footprints. The tip of Sagaar's spear lights the way as you descend deeper into the mausoleum, puffs of dust accompanying each footstep. When you reach the bottom, you find yourself standing in a large, rectangular chamber. There is a heavy stone casket on the far wall, sitting atop a raised dais. The footprints seem to stop here, though you don't have time to investigate them further. As soon as Valachi and Agnar step into the room, you are alerted to a menacing hiss and the scraping of what must be legs. The sounds comes from a sizable hole on the eastern end of the room, and for a moment, you think a stampede of vermin is going to erupt into the chamber. Instead, a monstrous head of chitin burst forth from the wall, followed quickly by the whipping body of a monstrous centipede, at least as long as a man. It quickly writhes free of the hole, followed by two similar creatures. Their sharp hisses rebound off the stone walls, creating a cacophonous echo as they rush forward.
Grinning at the beasts before him, Agnar moves to attack the one closest to him. As he moves he lets out a low growl.
As everyone reacts to the events around the corner, Delia moves in to get a look at what has caused all the excitement. Seeing the enormous insects skittering about, Delia shudders. "I think I know what will like these." as she begins an incantation. "Priho Ditieh Minyeh Pohmoach." At the conclusion a celestial eagle appears directly above one of the bugs further back, and begins to fervently tear at the thing's carapace with its beak and talons.
Father sees the tension and commotion, but it isn't until Delia moves that he acts. When she moves in and begins casting a spell, he rushes forward to stand defensively before her.