On hearing Elger's name and the name of the manor, Andrej starts. "Hah! You are Baron Elger, and Porfio is man who trades with my people for you, yes? I meet him when he trade with my boyar...he is good man. Good drinker, too. Tell us of your troubles."
"Yes". "Porfio is indeed his name". "And his love for the fruit of the vine is what got him assigned to that particular duty". "What was your name again"? "And I do hate to be rude, but what is it that you want from me"?
Satinius
"Would it be possible to look at the tomb". "We are here at the bequest of the Church of Morrow". He then presents the pin bestowed upon him by Father Dumas. "It is here on the estate...no"? .
Elger
"I'm afraid that's not possible". "You see that is a holy place to us, and his mother...and aunts would be terribly upset for strangers such as you to tromp about these grounds". "Besides his tomb was damaged in the act". "But if there is anything else I can help you with, please let my man know". "For now I must be leaving". "I'm late already". Lord Elger waits for the butler to let the group out before stepping out himself, looking back over his shoulder as he heads towards the carriage now parked at the curb, to make sure your on your way.
Crossing his arms and watching the Lord's carriage trundle away.
"Hrmph, so we go look at tomb now? We take long way around?" Gorrum says, indicating the wall surrounding the estate.
Quietly and away from being overheard, Satinius starts to voice the obvious but Gorrum beats him to it.
What time of day is it?
"Ze dark could be a frien' for zis. May-be we wait for zat?"
The delicate gunmage is having difficulty with the strange Boneyard scent he has acquired. He shrugs and squirms a little inside his clothes and needs a wash.
"Go to other place first, then back here after dark?"
Morven chuckles at Zadlu's suggestion, the tall trollkin's crest flashes lilac as she does;
"Now yer talkin' Zadlu... Wee smack on his heid and the butler'll be seein' stars and nae us as we brack inta that tomb..."
The time is mid afternoon. And though the party could certainly probably invade the grounds during full daylight, they might end up in the brig. This is one of the richest best protected areas of the city. There is time to case the scene, then visit one of the other area's before darkness sets in...and the forecast is for evening fog...as it is almost everyday here in Corvis.
The gunmage ushers Zadlu away nodding sympathetically to his ideas.
After consulting the map, the party figures they could make it to the Gadock Family Farm near the Eastern gate of the city, and back before dark...or at least before the fog thickens if they don't tarry.
A quick scouting of the perimeter of the property reveals a small alley between the Sunbright Estate and the closest neighboring estate. It is probably used for deliveries to keep the "riff raff" from spoiling the perfect setting of the estates. As the party goes down the alley they observe the 4' high stone fence with another foot of Iron "Arrowhead" fence atop that. There is a gate about halfway down the 80' alley, and a couple of house guards stand at the gate, goodnaturedly hassling a pretty delivery girl with a basket of baked goods, before letting her enter with a slap on the rump, and a quick dart into the basket for a tart. The guards are armed with Halberds, short swords, and you see shields propped against the guard shack. They are wearing chain shirts, iron helms, and a tabard with House Sunbright's family emblem on them.
Morven and Gorrum by just looking over the fence can see that the first part of the enclosed grounds consist of a couple of outbuildings, a small herb garden, and a larger flower garden. A woman, obviously the matriarch of the house sits on a bench in the flower garden, knitting, while attended by two younger girls, and a handmaiden. There is also a well, and a servants quarters readily visible. In the back corner away from the alley is the family graveyard with several stone crypts and ancient large trees.
"To farm now, yes?"
"Oui," nods Satinius.
Gorrum grunts in agreement "Too many eyes , will be better in the dark."
The group makes their way towards the Eastern Gate, and as they leave the area of the Sunbright Estate, the stares grow a might less frosty, thought still curious. The constant thump of the Steam Jacks at works continues, as it does at all hours, but the day is cooling, and the tired faces of people finishing a hard days work, and headed for a tavern, or home to their families bring a familiarity to the scene. This scene is played out almost identically in all free cities in Imoren.
They join a throng of farmers returning to their spreads with empty carts, and full pocketbooks, as rush hour begins in Corvis. After a couple of false turns, they are directed to the Gadock Family farm.
The destination is a small farm near near the eastern gate of the city. The Gadocks have two small barns, a pen for hogs, and some small fields of wheat and corn. The farmhouse is unremarkable. The family graveyard is behind the farmhouse in the shade of a giant apple tree.
Bern Gadock, the man of the house is happy to talk to the group, as long as they are polite (I know this is a stretch). He introduces his wife Betilda, and his three-year old son Hagger...whom is named after his grandfather.
If the party is diplomatic:
The family was very much shaken, when old Grandfather Hagger Gadock went missing one week ago. If questioned that's about all he knows. He says it was raining that night, and he has cleaned up the grave robbery site a bit.
Persuasion
Bern laughs it off, but claims that little Hagger insists he saw Grandpa walking away on the night he vanished. He plays it off as the imagination of small children, but you can tell he's not sure.
After leaving the Gadock farm, the PC's rush back to Corvis, and are able to get back just as the Main City gates are closing for the evening. There is a que of merchant wagons waiting to get in, and howls of protest when the guards tell them they'll have to wait till tomorrow. The postern gate will remain open for foot traffic however. The party enters Corvis crossing one of the many bridges, as the fog begins to roll in off the river.
Satinius takes the lead for now and chats with the friendly Bern for a while.
Then the mage smiles as he opens up a little, "The family was very much shaken, when Grandpa Hagger Gadock went missing one week ago. It was raining that night, and I've cleaned up the grave robbery site a mite."
Bern mumbles something else a little embarrassed, "my little boy, Haggsy, says he saw Grandpa up and walk away that night. Must have eaten a piece of gristle or had a bad dream."
Satinius takes the lead for now and chats with the friendly Bern for a while.
Then the mage smiles as he opens up a little, "The family was very much shaken, when Grandpa Hagger Gadock went missing one week ago. It was raining that night, and I've cleaned up the grave robbery site a mite."
Bern mumbles something else a little embarrassed, "my little boy, Haggsy, says he saw Grandpa up and walk away that night. Must have eaten a piece of gristle or had a bad dream."
"May we speak wiz your leetle Hagger to zee if 'Ee nose anysink more? An' look at the grave also? Perhaps?" Satinius nods as he talks, hopefully Bern starts nodding too.
Bern indeed follows the infectious nodding of Satinius, and before he knows it he is showing the PC's the now empty grave.
When little Hagger sits upon Satinius knee, he relates what he saw that night.
"It was tundring and ligting reel bad, and I wuz gettin all wet". "Ma screamed at me to come in, but just fore i did, I looked back, and when the lighting came again, i saw pappy walking off towards the woods". He then looks at his pa to see if he's in trouble.
So planning the breakin?
The party maps out a careful strategy to infiltrate the graveyard of the Sunbright estate, and under the cover of the fog, just before dawn they make it unseen over the back wall, down the overhanging tree and into the graveyard. They are able after a bit of stumbling, to find the disturbed site, and carefully look it over.
You can see that it it still in a state of disrepair, with the heavy marble door shattered on the ground, and the one-room tomb nearly empty. Seeing that no obvious evidence remains, the party turns to leave the same way they entered, when Morven spots a scrap on white silk cloth caught on a nearby rose thorn. He tucks it into his pouch for now...kind of interesting that the cloth is white, and the suspicious "woman" seen at some of the sites was wearing white.
As the party walks to the wall, they hear a sigh from one of the thicker patches of shrubbery up against the wall. The Sunbright liveried guard is as startled to see the motley crew as they are to see him, and quickly drops his tabard down, spraying it with his stream, and reaches for the whistle around his neck. Thinking that speed might be more important than stealth at this time, the group sprints for the side gate, and brushing past the surprised guard at the gate tumble out into the streets. Both guards follow furiously blowing on their whistles, and lights begin to come on throughout the neighborhood, as the party loses itself in the streets.
The next morning...or well probably more like early afternoon the party wakes up and have a quite laugh as they recount the small escapades each experienced on the escape.
Black Benny
After recounting their escapades, the party travels to their last clue location...The Fullet Family Farm...
A gravel path leads you from the road up to a well-tended farmhouse surrounded by an apple orchard. You can hear pigs, and sheep in the distance.
"What we learn? Hagger boy says he sees father walking away from own grave, yes? But old drunk fool says he sees woman by grave, and Morven find piece of cloth maybe come from woman dress. When we get to last place, Pierre, you ask about woman, and about walking dead. No, might be too scary. You ask what they know, we listen good. Da?"
"Mmph" Gorrum chuckles "Find right woman, that the hard part."
Sprinting down the road, whistles dogging their every step, a cacophony of dogs from estates on each side rising up to serenade their flight through the night, the intrepid band could not help but grin madly at the excitement of their current predicament.
Skidding around a corner,the crew drew up seeing a city patrol crossing a side street ahead. Another shrill whistle spurred them back into motion, ducking down a side street opposite. A yell from behind...their pursuers had seen the large Orgun enter the alley!
Leading the way, fleet Saintus scanned the surrounding buildings for means of escape. His eyes spied an unused crane jutting from a warehouse up ahead, it's rope dangle out of reach...of a normal sized man, but mayhaps not an Ogrun.
Stopping below the rope, he silently pointed upwards to the others that ran up , panting.
Gorrum looked up and easily grabbed the rope, giving it a tug. It held fast. With quick movements, he clasped his hands in a cradle and gave each of his companions a boost up to the rope, which they clambered up to wait looking down for him to follow. The whistles and now dog barks were getting close. With a leap , the Ogrun clambered up after the others, ducking in and pulling up the rope, just as a crew of torch bearing guards and dogs emerged onto the street.
Easing the crane door closed the companions watched as the first dogs sniffed their way to where the rope had hung. Milling about confusedly, the dogs whinged and snarled, then whimpered as they were kicked by their tenders. With yells of frustration, the guards raced down the length of the street before pausing, confused at the intersection. Choosing a direction they ran off in pursuit of their prey.
Chuckling quietly, the four companions smiled and nodded to each other in the darkness, before turning to see where they'd found safety.
From the faint light cast by from the partially open door, the group could see that the warehouse had been unused for some time, cobwebs and sheets covered everything. The sheets were covering oddly shaped tradegoods, not boxes but something else entirely.
Inching forward , Zadlu grabbed the edge of a sheet and lifted it to get a peek a what was inside. His movement must have unbalanced the goods underneath for they bagan to fall. Jumping back in alarm as a flood of bone white arms and legs cascaded down around him, seemingly trying to grasp his limbs. Stifling a startled yell, he cast about him fending off the assault.
The others likewise, drew weapons and advanced to save their friend from the onslaught.
That is until they noticed Morven's deep chuckle "'Dey be pretend,don ye ken? Fer the dressies and coatsies!" her chuckle growing into a deep belly laugh and the faces of her companions. Shaking her head, she checked the street for sign or sound of their pursuit.
Seeing nothing and hearing nothing, she shakes her head at the now chagrined and grinning faces of her friends, then leads them back down the rope to escape back into the city.
Black Benny Score
As the party talks among themselves, and the exhilaration of the previous nights escapades fade, the party approaches the farm to see a woman out front of the house scattering some feed for a few scrawny chickens.
She explains that the family tends a hundred head of sheep, and a few pigs in addition to the chickens. Her husband Chandler died five years ago, and it was his body that was stolen from the family plot two weeks previously. Her three grown sons, and their wives also live on the farm...and you can see one of them headed towards the party if you look up.
Lorna motions him off, and invites the group to sit for a moment at an outside picnic table, and offers them water from a well near the house.
If she is pressed for more information, she will mumble something about witchcraft.
Notice
Lorna believes there are always witches about, and she has charms and talismans all over her property to protect the family.
Persuasion Or other means....
- Chandler was a juror in the Corvis witch scandal a decade ago.
- When shown the list of names, she will be able to identify several of them as jurors in the trial. On the rest her memory fails her.
- Lorna thinks all the jurors are dead currently.
Persuasion RAISE
Lorna glad that someone is willing to engage her tells the story about the scandal. She relates the basics. A brave magistrate discovered five evil witches, and they were executed.
Lorna does not recall the details, but mentions some in town might.
If the party has any other questions not concerning the robbery or the scandal they may ask now. It is obvious that she is a gossip, and very superstitious.
Andrej takes note of the charms and such that Zadlu points out, nodding to himself. Like shaman back home. "Thank you for water, Lorna. You have fine farm, yes? And many strong sons. This is good. Your husband, he do other things than farming? Have enemies? Satinius, you show her list of others, yes? You know these names?"
Morven eyes the trinkets with a degree of scepticism;
:
:
"Think ye need protecting lass? Fa fay? Enemies or wytches?"
Notice
Wild
Gorrums eyebrow raises when he notices the trinkets and fetishes warding the predation of witches etc...
He sits back and allows the others to interrogate the woman.
Satinius indeed presents the list.
Persuasion (+2 for CHA)
WD (+2 for CHA)
But the woman is so busy gossiping, that she seems to not really look at it...however at Andrej's insistent prodding, and with Satinius's natural charms, she finally takes a look at the slip of paper.
"I think we go back to priest now, yes? Find out more about these 'witch trials.'"
"Zat is fine by moi! Onwars evryone an' watch for the signs of zee witch, Charms and trickery."
Satinius thanks Lorna for the time.
"Ha! We set trap for witches, da? Find living people on jury and watch them, and when witches try to kill them...." The Kossite slowly closes one hand.
Morven nods in agreement at Andrej's suggestion;
"Set a wee trap fer the beldams? Nae bad thinking man..."
The trollkin gestures toward the marks on her war-club with a grin;
"Nae notches o' witch... Jes' yet..."
At wise Andrej's suggestion, the motley crew assembles back at the church, and waits for Father Dumas to finish consulting a young couple with marital problems resolve an issue.
When presented with the evidence he mulls the information carefully, worry furrowing his brow.
"I must be growing old". "How could I not realize that all these names were jurors in the witch trial". "Let me share more on the story with you". "It happened about nine years ago, almost to this day, but that day is still fresh in my memory".
"On that fateful day a witchcraft scandal rocked the town". "Magistrate , a retaliative newcomer to the city council, exposed a coven of five witches he claimed were responsible for all manner of devilish activities, in and around Corvis". "The witches were all apparently normal womenfolk from the city and surrounding communities, but their crimes were indisputable". "Whipped into a panic by the crusader Borloch, the townsfolk demanded action". The witches were put on trial, and within days the decision to execute them made". At this time the fathers eyes lower, and his voice takes on a strange tone.
"I am sad and ashamed that one of the conveners was Lexaria Ciannor, my wives sister". "I regret that I could not do more to help her".
"After the witches were executed on a specially prepared plot of land deep in Widower's Wood, the bodies were locked away in a crypt, and powerful enchantments sealed them away forever". "The leader of the coven...my own sister in law, received even more special treatment". "You have perhaps seen her granite tomb in the graveyard of this very cathedral". She lies in a special repository on the church grounds to serve as a warning to all the Corvis will not tolerate the black arts".
Knowledge: History
In those days during the rule of Vinter Raelthorne IV, the line between witch and sorcerer had become blurred, and any born with this power could be accused of communing with the forces of darkness.
Investigation
* There are no jurors from the trial left alive
* The judge in the trial was Lord Atthias Folver. He is still alive and working for the city.
Some other facts freely shared by Father Dumas.
1. Magistrate Borloch who exposed the coven, is a powerful man. Only wields more power in Corvis.
2. The identity of the Executioner was secret as dictated by tradition. It is probably an open secret within the city government though.
"By Morrow"! "I hope the witches tomb is still intact". "I know that the tomb in the church yard has not been disturbed"..."But". "I have asked enough of you". "You have provided me with a vital clue, and though my resources are limited,..."I don't suppose you'd be willing to investigate further would you"? "You would have my eternal gratitude".
Andrej nods. "To find witches, this is good thing."
Hearing the holy man's stoyr, Gorrum's brow furroughs "Aye, a live witch is bad enough, a dead witch alive again.... well, that's bad" he say solemnly.
Knowledge(History) Wild die
Investigation Wild die
Investigation Wild die raise
"Tell us more of the jury and the judge, Father" Gorrum asks
As the father answers Gorrum's question, you may all check under the investigation spoiler above.
Next step?
Talk to the judge?
Investigate the witches graves?
Check out the tomb in the church graveyard?
Something else?
Morven listens to the tale of olde, mulling the words and their implications;
:
:
:
Her ken o' ancient lore and the hearth wisdom of her youth triggers half forgotten words which she shares with her companions;
"Back in the auld days, ony wielder o' magicks - fair or foul wis named a wytch... Might be their nae as bad as history tells..."
The lanky trollkin shrugs her broad shoulders;
"Iffen she's a deid wytch come knockin' again... then we pit her back in the grave... but she may be mair a revenant... done wrong by these "men o' power"..."
"Maybe zee judge can tell us more of zees weetches. P'haps a son or doorter is seeking revenge. Let us look for zumthing sensible and leave the stories of ghosts for now."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Morven listens to the tale of olde, mulling the words and their implications;
: 1d4
: 1d6
: 1d6Her ken o' ancient lore and the hearth wisdom of her youth triggers half forgotten words which she shares with her companions;
"Back in the auld days, ony wielder o' magicks - fair or foul wis named a wytch... Might be their nae as bad as history tells..."
The lanky trollkin shrugs her broad shoulders;
"Iffen she's a deid wytch come knockin' again... then we pit her back in the grave... but she may be mair a revenant... done wrong by these "men o' power"..."