Sayniek stands and listens to the others as they speak knowing that knowledge of these creatures is not her strong suit and that the others have a longer relationship with the sheriff and mayor.
Hemlock frowns deeply but it is the mayor who speaks up first, So what next. We have some resources here but undead are a whole other problem than goblins and the town has been through too much. Do you have any leads to go on before this becomes a battle in the streets?
"Well, since this necromancer more than likely work for "His lordship the Skinsawman" the obvious course of action would be to find him.
...
...
And...I have no idea how to do that.
The madman said that master Valorian "Should come to him" but never specified where that was."
Cristiel looks upon the Mayor and Sheriff while the others offer their experiences on the undead issue. The elven woman rests her hands folded behind the small of her back as she gives her own report, "Mayor, Sheriff, I know I am a newcomer in this crisis besetting your community but I have experienced similar situations before, albeit with fiends and cultists, so I shall offer what advice I can whether you mean to take it or not. First, as has already been stated you are facing a necromancer of some power as his creations have a quick gestation period and surprisingly large numbers. This necromancer has also shown some degree of tactical acumen so we can speculate that he is not clueless in the art of war. This coupled with minions that need not sleep nor tire never bodes well. I would advise that post-haste you send out armed bands of messengers to each homestead and farming community within a half a day's ride of Sandpoint and recommend evacuation to the town until this threat is put down. Those that live further out should be attempted to be notified so that they might secure their homes against legions of the undead. Already at least one farming community has been wiped out and converted into fodder or new undead. Our enemy only grows stronger the more innocents that are lost to his creations. Lastly, we should waste no more time in finding the fiend's new lair and purging this world of his taint."
Kithians head is tilted a little sideways, and his mouth slightly open, as he stares at Cristiel as she speaks. The barbarian slightly shakes his head and turns to Vidar. "Your an elf kisser. What in the hells did she just say? She was throwing all those elf words in there, gave me a head ache."
The chosen of Gorum grins and turns towards the sheriff and shrugs his shoulders. "Anyway, we plan on goin out and killing what ever, or who ever, is doing this. We just wanted to make sure you had warning before an undead horde started knocking on your gates if we fail. Maybe you all could get together and find out stuff that may help us, you never know. Other than that we need to resupply, get some real food in our bellies, not that stuff Vidar tries to poison us with, and I need a drink. No, make that a lot of drinks."
Vidar actually manages a smile as he leans sideways to answer Kithian.
"Easiest way to explain would be to tell you she said exactly what you just did, except for the blatant lies about my cooking."
The mayor doesn't seem what quite to do with both the strict specifics of Cristiel's very thorough analysis and the troubadour sideshow that is Kithian and Vidar so close in its wake.
Hemlock takes a moment to clear his throat and chime in, So I have patrols, and I can take men off of Thistletop for now in light of this to come down and help. We will get the town ready, something I am sure Ameiko is already doing seeing as you probably talked to her before us... Belor's eyes linger over Cam for a second before he continues, We will get the farmers. You say there is one group over-run? Conrain is who you brought back right?
"Eventually, Thistlethorp will not be a problem for you any more. We have plans to settle the area and explore the remaining secrets there.
But, first thing first, we need to nip this problem in the bud before anyone else is slain.
I will NOT tolerate this any longer"
Vidar's mercurial temper once more comes to the fore and he slams a fist into the table for emphasis.
"Simmer down Ulfen. You haven't shown that much aggression since...well definitely not the last fight. But you are right, those gobos really aren't the problem anymore. We need to go find the head of the snake and separate it from the body.
Sheriff, we may need to wait until you can bring in the outlying farms, maybe they can shed some light on where the bastage maybe hiding. We know the loony bin was part of it, but the undead we fought were from outside. We also found the overrun farm on the way here. maybe we can try to narrow our search from any addition information others from the area can provide. And it would keep us from walkin all over the place lookin for a needle in a hay stack."
"What! You...you...make a perfectly valid point master Darlock, and I am deeply and sincerely sorry for doubting it even for a second."
Vidar leans back, looks up at the celling and runs a hand over his face, sighing deeply.
"I despise feeling powerless, and it is not just OUR lives hanging in the balance."
Shaking his head softly, Vidar is quiet for a moment, then he speaks again, in more subdued tones.
"Maybe we can at least help in bring in the people of the outlying farms, at least it would feel like we contributed a little..."
"Ah! There is one clue we have not yet looked into.
We should take a little time going through the maps and journals we retrieved from the Necromancers lair.
There may be a clue there.
The journal however is locked."
Feeling that the others have quite well covered the root of the problem, Sayniek stands back and listens to the others debate how to proceed. When a time to speak arises, she steps forward.
There is great evil giving rise to this undead infestation. We must determine who is leading it and eliminate the problem as my companions have discussed. One question that I have is, who is this Skinsaw man that the necromancer allegedly answers to? If it is he that is directing this battle, then it is against he that we must focus our vengeance. Many innocents have been harmed, some killed and their bodies defiled by these creatures. Others turned into more of these horrid beasts. I wish to head back out as soon as possible so that we can fine the root of this evil and eliminate it.
Hemlock takes a moment to clear his throat and chime in, We will get the town ready, something I am sure Ameiko is already doing seeing as you probably talked to her before us... Belor's eyes linger over Cam for a second
Camillo gives a little half-smile and apologetic shrug before nodding once in response.
"The night is their time. Let them have it once more. None of us has rested well for a couple of days what with the threat hanging over our heads. We will need to be at our best - meaning rested - when we meet him again."
*cracks fingers* Okay then...
The night passes in a bit of chaos as the group you deal with various tasks from reading, meeting with townsfolk and resting (or drinking in Kithian's case).
Defenses are set and patrols sent out. Soliders are recalled from Thistletop and you receive word that Shalelu is making her way south towards the farms to scout for more issues as soldier works to get to the families.
Vidar reads. And reads. And reads. A constant supply of just enough wine and just enough food to keep the wizard focused on his task is provided and Bethany makes it a special point to ply Enok with treats to keep him in a helpful state.
Vidar learns the following:
Caizarlu the necromancer is more skilled than powerful. His particular brand of necromancy is based more on using special rituals, special components and general knowledge to amplify the relatively meager effects he can create. His biggest accomplishments, to date, are faster undead creation, managing to turn a pair of ogres and something he refers to amiably as "The Beast" which was a commission for an organization based in Magnimar that he has been dealing with off and on called "The Skinsaw Cult".
"The Skinsaw Cult" fascinates the necromancer because they seem to have their own relationship with ritualistic death, they seem to benefit from mysterious patrons and (most exciting for Caizarlu) they have a ghast in their service who seems to have actually been alive and moving around Magnimar (where the cult is based) with relative ease.
The cult has leadership that Caizarlu is sure are more powerful than the ghast (otherwise how could they order it around) but has rebuffed attempts from the cult to recruit him. He cites his faith to Uragotha as one reason and a general disdain for being told what to do as the other.
In recent months the cult has become more active in the surrounding area. Caizarlu's own minions and contacts have noted seeing cultists dressed in strange masks (like the ones you have found) around Sandpoint and in particular an agent referring to itself as "The Skinsaw Man" has taken responsibility for a handful of events in the area like mutilations and murders that have been ruled accidents or otherwise by rather taxed law enforcement but has been whispered about in darker circles. The murder at the sawmill is the first "clear" event to belong to the "Man".
Caizarlu thinks something is going on at Foxglove manor related to the cult, an observation he makes because he has been experimenting on the troubled family by uprooting their dead and moving them closer to the sanitarium, testing various theories about how timing, location, and method of treatment affect bodies already highly likely to express undead tendencies. He notes lights on in the abandoned house from time to time and tracks in the area surrounding the house. He also found a mask at one point. He seems unconcerned either due to his abilities, his relationship with the cult or just a general arrogance that he simply won't be caught.
Caizarlu is/was fascinated by Grayst's ability to fight off the ghoul fever and decided to wet Habe's appetite for research in an effort to keep the man more compliant as he has noticed Habe was more unsteady emotionally recently. He also noticed Grayst mentioned the Skinsaw Man and wanted to see if Habe's psychological training would reveal more information about this person.
Habe's journal is boilerplate accounting of his day. Talks of interest in his work and generally reads like a scholars journal until about three months ago when the man makes mention of a trip to Magnimar and an appt with "an old friend". Every entry after that point is extremely succinct and wooden, almost like being written by someone else or by a Habe with no pleasure/joy in his work.
The blade in Cam's possession is sometimes called "the peaceful blade" or "the final rest" the lore suggest that this blade, in a way similar to a silver spike or wood, is plunged in the heart of a creature. Tales say this blade works on anyone, living or dead, and that it can disrupt some magics related to necromancy and/or resurrection. It is a tool of the Pharasamite church to ensure that the victim of its strike meets their appointed time with their mistress. These are rare enough, that a man like Habe has one indicates either a great crime or a great expense on his part.
Vidar lets out a great yawn, so deep, long and loud that his yaws nearly unhinges from the effort.
"That...that was indeed an intense reading seson..."
Looking over at the table, he pokes the comatose Enok, but finding no response he sighs.
"Well, it was valuable...but from this, it sems that either Foxglove is a member of a cult that may be behind all this, OR he is in trouble and badly needs our help."
"...I do not know which possibility makes me more worried..."
Foxglov and the sanitarium are basically equidistant from here, on more easterly, the other westerly, Magnimar is days past both.
My vote is to head back and search the sanitarium once more to make sure that it is cleared out. Doing this in the day would be my preference. Then return to Sandpoint to sell what we find/rest. Then head on toward the Foxglove mansion. I see no reason to leave a half cleared hovel of undead alone.
Ok.
Resupplied and now knowing the route a bit better, your group is able to get to the Sanitarium with a smattering of daylight left. The grounds are awful to say the least with the bodies of dead horses and ghouls littering the entrance after a day exposed to elements. Whatever outriders Belor sent out have not made it here yet.
Rank decay and carrion feeders (mostly crows) are the greatest features with the birds hardly caring to notice your arrival and only narrowly avoiding you if you approach. You are sure, given the amount of tracks, that other animals have come and gone.
The door stands ajar. The birds mask the basic noises of nature but nothing else stands out.
Sayniek looks at the pile of bodies.
We should pile these up and burn them. Leave nothing for whatever sick thing created these in the first place.
"Agreed. I'll find some wood." Rullis moves around the perimeter of the woods and starts collecting whatever wood he can find.
Kithian draws his falchion and squats down, laying the blade across his legs as he looks at the bodies.
Survival:
Camillo stands watch while the others are working to dispose of the bodies.
"Do you see something interesting, Kithian?"
Sayniek begins to drag the bodies together so that all can be burned at one time. She also looks for anything of value that might have been dropped by any of the formerly undead creatures.
Cristiel joins Sayniek in laying the bodies out for funeral pyre. She mutters a few words in elven and brushes the forehead of each corpse before moving to the next. When they finish, the elven woman draws Manartyelo and points toward the sanitarium, "Let us not tarry over long as with last time; collect what we have come for and we continue to the next location. We will give our foes no time to lay siege to us again."
Kithian notes that some of the tracks (most likely the ghast) have traces of coastal moss. The sanitraium is just far enough inland for it be uncommon in the woods but would be progressively more common the closer you got to the coast.
Bodies are drug and burning is done. The work is not clean and takes about an hour. Nothing treasure wise stands out.
Kithian points his finger at some of the tracks as he looks over at Cam. Looks like them bastages came from the coast. That moss there is not from around here. I think we need to focus our search that way.
Unless there is some more monsters in the sanitarium, lets take 10 or 20 on searching, get what is of value, and then head back to Sandpoint for a quick rest/selling stuff. Then we head to the scenic Foxglove manor.
"Moss? Even if they were at the beach, how would they get moss on themselves? Does it grow up in the sand?"
Cristiel looks back down into the Sanitarium facilities before motioning the rest after her. Quickly but with care, she retraces their steps back down to the necromancer's lair.
*Montage*
The group picks its way through the building gingerly, taking more than enough time to be sure that what remains in Habe's odd off color shrine is scooped up and examined. Similarly a review of the other rooms and surrounding area offers little more in the way of items of note save the personal belongings of the tieflings that remain in Sandpoint.
Confident that you have squeezed every last piece of information from the area the group returns to Sandpoint. On the way the group is able to look through the last remaining journal of Habe's. Apparently the man had more guilt then he let on.
Over time the doctor became consumed with grief over his actions. The necromancer had bound him in a spell that made Habe's movements and disposition known to the necormancer at all time. Using this magic and threatening to expose Habe should he ever choose to resist their work, Habe was made, in a way, a hostage to the necromancer's agenda.
Habe was a doctor though and began a slow process of study. His study led him to theories of peaceful meditation and psychological techniques to keep his emotions placid. Constantly fearful of discovery, however, Habe eventually managed to convince the necromancer to travel to Magnimar on business. While in the city Caizarlu met with figures of some group while Habe sought out magical aid. An enterprising wizard by the name of Erith Winehome enchanted Habe and fractured his mind. (In essence giving Habe multiple personalities) Habe would not remember what he did or said so he had to keep meticulous notes as he worked on trying to release himself from the necromancer's control.
Habe apparently had gone so far as to get his hands on a rare form of dagger that, when plunged into a creature that was dead, guaranteed that the creature would not return. Habe reasoned that even if he had managed to strike Caizarlu down, the old man probably had some means to return himself to life in some capacity. This dagger would seal the man's fate, but Habe lacked the physical disposition to do the initial work.
Enter the tieflings. Habe intended to build a relationship with them and alienate them from the necromancer. He hoped, in time, they would agree to help strike the necromancer down and then Habe would use the dagger to guarantee the matter was done with. Habe thought he was slowly building to a moment this would happen but then Caizarlu escalated his experiments and had many more undead around. This simple *were* from a while until Grayst showed up talking about the Skinsaw Man. Habe noted that this "Skinsaw Man" unnerved the necromancer so he looked to examine Grayst in earnest, having his unhidden self continue to indulge in the more perverse aspects of Habe's personality in hopes that Grayst might reveal more that would aid Habe in killing Caizarlu.
And then you guys showed up.
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The journey back to Sandpoint is fast and uneventful. Nothing on the road today indicates any trouble whatsoever though this changes as you ride closer to the town and see many guards asking folks to get into their homes. Many of the townsfolk seem stunned but obey. A handful of guards stands near the entrance to the town from the coast road and wave you down to talk...
A middle aged guard continues to wave at the party. Beckoning you to approach from the road...
Cristiel rides up to the guard while keeping an eye scanning the town, "What word? The defenses are proceeding as planned?"
Kitian follows behind the elf and nodds to the guard.
The guard nods at Kithian as he turns to report to Cristiel, A rider from the patrol to the southern farms reported bodies and an attack. Being prepared they were able to defeat the creature but are still not returned. Another patrol suffered one wounded and he is under strict observation at the cathedral. Otherwise Ms. Kaijutsu has secured a temporary induction to the town guard and has been seeing to wrangling the town's more experienced folks. Curfew is in effect. Mayor and Sheriff have been waiting on you folks. Ma'am
Vidar grunts in frustration, but the trademark tirade does not come, not even a sneer.
"Lead on the Goodman, let us be done with this meeting that we may get back to saving lives..."
Knowing it must have taken some effort, Camillo grins and claps the mage on the back. "Indeed. Sooner done, the sooner we continue the good fight."