Alexei strokes his beard some more, frowning at Korvus' suggestion. "That sounds highly likely. Few would believe him if he said that was the case," the Sarenraen states, displeasure clear in his voice. With a slightly more upbeat tone, he says, "Thank you, Alpy, we are going to do our best to help you."
Alpy shakes his head, "No, not know that place. Not near there ever."
Hearing the rest of your comments, he bobs his head, "Nice mans. Alpy like nice mans. Come back and talk to Alpy, okay?"
"Of course we'll come back Alpy. So I guess it's off to Morast then?"
Alexei nods at Lucius' suggestion. "That would likely be a good plan, but we must make haste. There is not much time to find proper evidence of Alpy's innocence."
"You mean evidence of his innocence right?"
Alexei coughs into his hand. "Regardless, there is much that we have to do."
Harold nods as he make his way back toward the chambers of the Public Defender to notify the barrister of their plans to head to Morast post-haste. He turns to talk to the others as he walks, "We might need ter push deese villagers 'ard if they are only jumpin' ter conclusions on Alpy behin' involved in deese murders. Not an' all 'ard though, Bjorn, only enuff ter make sure they aren't imaginin' fngs ter fi' their expectashuns ov 'ow stuff aught ter 'ave played out."
Barrister Kaple arranges for you to have use of the Lepidstadt High Court carriage, which is held in reserve for delegates and employees of the justice system in the city.
The large black carriage is pulled by a team of four horses. The driver introduces himself as Terk, and he is joined by a fierce-looking half-orc holding a repeating crossbow. The half-orc grunts in greeting, then takes position beside the driver. Before you know it, you are bustling through the city and find yourself heading north into the swamps.
Three hours pass before you arrive at your destination. A long wooden boardwalk leads from the main road through a grove of trees and to the village.
Morast is a tiny hamlet of houses built on stilts above the brackish swamp. You can see nearly a dozen buildings, and from the people staring at you, it's a reasonable guess that a dozen families live in the village.
Several men can be seen fishing in the water. As you move into town, one of them pulls his rod up quickly, landing a red and green creature about three feet long with short stubby legs and a long serpentine tail. The creature begins flipping to and fro in a frenzy. Another man grabs a nearby spear and thrusts it, killing the creature.
Spotting you, the man with the spear says something to his fellows. The other men pull their lines in, and they all get up and approach you as a group. They are definitely not hostile, but they have the measured looks of people who aren't exactly friendly either.
The first man looks you over and finally speaks, "Something we can help you with?"
"We will come to visit you again when we return, Alpy. I promise," Korvus says sincerely before leaving the room.
--------------------------------------------
"That appears to be a blood caiman," Korvus informs his companions, pointing toward the slain red and green reptile. "They're known for being extremely aggressive."
The first man looks you over and finally speaks, "Something we can help you with?"
"Indeed, goodsir," Korvus begins in a friendly tone, tipping his hat respectfully to the speaker. "We are representatives of the Lepidstadt High Court. We were hoping to speak with wise Elder Lazne before he departs for the trial. Could you tell us where we can find him?"
The leader of the group stares at you for a moment then nods. "Wait here, I'll get him." The rest of the group starts dispersing, apparently content you don't mean any trouble for the village.
A few minutes later, the man returns beside an older human with gray thinning hair on his head. This is easily one of the oldest humans you ever seen, but despite his age, he seems to be in excellent health. His posture is straight, and his eyes are sharp. His gait is that of a much younger man, and he approaches you briskly, holding out one gnarled hand to Korvus. In a deep voice, he greets you, "Welcome to Morast, Turll here said you've come from the Court in Lepidstadt. I'm Lazne. I expect this has to do with the Beast, so how can I help you?"
"You are correct, sir. We were told The Beast killed some villagers and then you caught him? We'd like to know more about that."
A few minutes later, the man returns beside an older human with gray thinning hair on his head. This is easily one of the oldest humans you ever seen, but despite his age, he seems to be in excellent health. His posture is straight, and his eyes are sharp. His gait is that of a much younger man, and he approaches you briskly, holding out one gnarled hand to Korvus. In a deep voice, he greets you, "Welcome to Morast, Turll here said you've come from the Court in Lepidstadt. I'm Lazne. I expect this has to do with the Beast, so how can I help you?"
"That is correct, Master Lazne," Korvus replies, doffing his hat and bowing his head respectfully as he shakes Elder Lazne's hand. "My name is Korvus Slade, and my companions are Lucius Cassius, Alexei Dawnreach, Bjorn Stonehand, and Harold Grimsley," the half-orc wizard introduces each of his companions in turn. "It is an honor to meet you. As I told Master Turll and as Master Cassius here indicated, we have been appointed by the Lepidstadt High Court to learn more about the crimes committed here that have been attributed to The Beast. We were hoping you could share with us the details of what happened, and possibly show us the locations where the crimes were committed as well as the location where you temporarily captured The Beast."
Alexei bows respectfully when he is introduced, and maintains a calm face, attempting to put the man at ease as Korvus speaks to him.
Elder Lazne bites his lip for a minute before waving Turll away. He begins walking and motions for you to follow him.
"The Beast started coming into the village and taking lone villagers, but it soon became braver - or more foolish. It started breaking into our houses and attacking people inside their homes! We all got together and set a trap for it. Outside 'ole Pull's house we dug a big pit then covered it up. Worked like a fat worm on a small hook!"
Lazne grins widely as he continues, "The monster fell in and we tossed in some nets. But it was tough to catch. Before we knew what happened, it used some of the nets to climb out. Huge and made of flesh that looked like it was all stitched up! Started fleeing toward the swamp. Well, I tell you, we got our boats out and started following it once it reached the water. It headed over toward the old Boneyard - the island where we used to bury our kin. But boy, right as that monster reached land, Redjaw got him."
"Redjaw is a blood caiman that's lived around here since I was a boy. That thing must be sixty if it's a day! Got a patch of red scales around his mouth, and mean as a devil that ate some bad chili. Anyhow, I was in the lead boat, and I saw Redjaw leap out of the water when the Beast reached the Boneyard. Got a good grip on his shoulder too. That monster started cursing and swearing like he was a sailor who missed his ship. But Redjaw is a tough one, and he dragged the Beast under. We all figured the caiman got him, so we headed back to town."
He stops near the edge of the swamp, "We reported everything to the city like we're supposed to, and imagine our surprise when they sent a man out a few days ago telling us they caught the Beast, and asking if I'd retell my story."
He points at a small island in the distance. You can barely make out a few small headstones peeking above the reeds and cattails. "That's the Boneyard out there."
Alexei scratches his beard. "That's terribly strange. When we spoke to the Beast, he seemed incapable of any behavior such as that," the Chelaxian says, turning to his companions. "Did any of you notice anything resembling the kind of wound such a large, ferocious creature as this 'Redjaw' could cause?"
"Yea, he seemed too, well special to act like that. It sounds like all the victims are missing. Maybe we should start there."
"You spoke to the thing? Well, that fits doesn't it? I heard it yelling too, so we know it can talk."
He looks at Lucius, "I'll tell you, it's been over a year since we lost our neighbors, and we found the places they were killed, but never their bodies. And we looked too, don't you doubt it. Even had some men from Lepidstadt out here to help. But we never found any sign of their bodies. So we've done our best to move on since then, and you won't find much if you go looking for them, only thing that would happen is people would get upset all over again about their missing friends and relatives."
"He can talk, but his speech is very simplistic. A little like talking to a kid. So you don't have any proof that they're dead? I mean if they aren't, wouldn't you want someone to find them?"
"He can talk, but his speech is very simplistic. A little like talking to a kid. So you don't have any proof that they're dead? I mean if they aren't, wouldn't you want someone to find them?"
"It's been over a year, Master Lucius. If they haven't been found by now, they are likely beyond help," Korvus says gently. "I doubt the good people of Morast would appreciate us re-opening old wounds."
"That big lizard, Redjaw. Has anyone caught him? If not, do you have any experts in town that would be able to help us track it down?"
The hulking ulfen glances at his companions.
"If we can catch that beast, we can match its jaws against any wounds Alpy has on him. The elder says that the monster that attacked their village was mauled by their big lizard. If the creature dragged under was Alpy, he's going to be sporting some serious scars."
Korvus' eyes widen at Bjorn's suggestion. "Now that is an excellent idea, Master Stonehand! Master Lazne, can you tell us how large Redjaw's maw is? And you said that before Redjaw attacked, the Beast was headed toward the island where you used to bury your people - the Boneyard. Would it be possible for us to go to the Boneyard and search for any evidence that the Beast may have left behind if it was lairing there?"
Harold nods in agreement as he looks in the direction of the Boneyard, "Aye. Let us find dis Redjaw an' examine da Boneyard fer addishunal evidence." The big half-orc steps over to the elder and stares down at the little man, "Thank yew fer yaaahr assistance, Elder Lazne. We might 'ave mawer quesshuns fer yew dependin' on what we uncover."
Lazne narrows his eyes until Alexei and Korvus indicate the group won't be asking around trying to find the dead villagers.
"Well, Redjaw is about five feet long, and his jaws are about ... this wide." He holds his hands up about six inches wide.
He pauses for a second, then looks out toward the island. "Yes, the Beast was flailing around in the water, and Redjaw got him right as he reached that point there."
Lazne points toward the island, but it's virtually impossible to tell exactly what he's indicating. After a moment, he seems to notice the same thing. Hearing your questions about venturing to the island, he nods, "Sure, I'll get some of the boys to get a boat. You could swim or wade out there, but riding in a boat is lots faster... and safer."
He calls out to a couple of villagers who both pull in their lines and move toward boats tied to a small pier. They are wide flat boats controlled by a single man who steers the boat with a long pole he pushes down into swampy water. The boats aren't very large, however, so one boat can only take three additional passengers.
The trip to the island is slow, but steady. As they move along, several dark shapes swim under and beside the boats, but luckily, nobody sees anything dangerous.
After about 15 minutes, the boats bump into the island, and your guides both make wards against spirits as they hold their positions. One of them says, "We'll wait here, sirs. Our kin is buried here, and we don't disturb them."
Disembarking from the skiffs, you find yourselves on a tiny, miserable island rising from the swamp with a tangle of trees covering its dour, reed-choked surface. Hundreds of fetishes hang from the trees — simple, roughly humanoid figures made of sticks and bound with twine. Larger fetishes are planted in the ground on various parts of the island, leaning drunkenly in the soft mud. Grave markers dot the surface of the island clustered into tiny plots that seem to indicate families or relatives.
Harold immediately notices a cluster of graves near a large tree that seem odd. It seems as if the ground has collapsed under the remains, and the ground seems to sag down leaving large depressions in the earth.
Lucius strikes out toward the southern end of the island and comes across what appears to be an old location for a fire. Scorched twigs are visible amidst a small pile of ashes. Looking around, he finds a leather sack by a large tree that contains a half-full waterskin, the aged remnants of trail rations, and a empty vial with green residue on the bottom.
Nearby, Alexei notices a small one-person boat hidden beneath some broken tree limbs and reeds. From the condition of the boat, it's obvious that it has been outside in the weather for several months, if not longer. A bag under the seat contains a damp artisan's outfit, and an leathery mask. Alexei draws a sharp breath as he turns the mask over, realizing it is not made from leather - it is actually a detached human face cured and treated so it could be worn by another person.
Bjorn joins him and spots a rope tied off at the boat that leads down into the water. Testing the line, he pulls against the rope and feels a weight at the bottom. Straining, he continues to pull on the rope, eventually revealing a waterproof sack that had been submerged in the swamp. Opening the bag, he finds some rope, a gag, a rusted lantern, several large carving knives, and a rusted shovel. As he looks through everything, he also notices that the inside of the sack, as well as the rope, gags, and knives all contain stains that appear to be dried blood.
Korvus moves around the Boneyard, taking in everything his companions have found. Max whistles sharply to get his attention, pulling Korvus toward a cluster of bushes. Underneath, he spots a tarnished wooden box. Reaching down, he pulls it out to find the top of the box covered with silver and amethysts. Inside the box is a set of exquisite surgical tools in pristine condition. On each of the tools, a small raven has been engraved near the end of the handle.
Harold makes a warding sign of Pharasma as he spits off to the side, "Looks like somebody 'as been doin' a bi' ov grave robbery. Somethin' was dug up an' da dirt put back down. The size ov da dip, i' was probably da bodies ov da blokes buried 'ere."
"I'm guessing parts for more of Alpy's siblings." Lucius grimaces at the sight.
Alexei's face scrunches up in disgust at the 'mask'. "This does not bode well at all," the Chelaxian states in an uncomfortable voice, "We've got a terribly deranged individual using this place for inhuman deeds. What will we tell the townsfolk?"
"Korvus, you see anything with your magic sight?"
"Nothing except the residue in this potion vial," Korvus responds to Bjorn's question, holding up said vial. "This appears to be the remains of an alchemist's extract granting the ability to see in the dark much like Master Grimsley and myself," the half-orc wizard explains. Korvus takes out his journal and begins sketching a diagram of locations and dimensions of the disturbed graves.
"We've got a terribly deranged individual using this place for inhuman deeds. What will we tell the townsfolk?"
"From the state of things, I believe it is safe to assume that whoever was here moved on some time ago... In a hurry, seeing as how they left all of this behind. However, given the nature of these items, I cannot imagine that Alpy was involved in any way in the crimes committed here. I agree with Master Stonehand. We should bring all of these items back with us - including the boat - and show them to Elder Lazne. I doubt he would recognize any of the items, but he should be informed that the graves of his people have been desecrated."
As you begin gathering up information, a loud 'Thunk' draws your attention toward the boats. Somehow, the two boats have bumped into one another, but it is the reactions of your guides that cause the most concern. One of them in pointing and shouting, while the other is scrambling forward toward dry land.
"Redjaw! It's him!" the boater shouts as his companion implores him to get out of the boat.
The first turns and makes his way forward, but the boat is hit from below and rises into the air, throwing the villager into the water.
Alexei turns to see the boaters panicking. He draws his weapon as he moves to assist them. "Come ashore!" he calls to the beleaguered men, concern for them written on his face.
With a flick of his wrist, Korvus' magical missile wand drops into his hand from his spring-loaded wrist sheath as he follows Alexei toward the shore.
"I'm guess you're going to wrestle it? Good luck with that." Lucius casts on Bjorn. "Go get him."
Harold cracks his knuckles as he saunters to the edge of the island, removing his coat and bowler hat as he goes and laying them on something preferably not dirty and off the ground on the way to the shoreline. At the edge by the lapping swampy soup, Harold unbuttons his shirt cuffs and starts to roll them up as he calls out to the men in the water, "OI! Get yaaahr arses on shawer! Thee in da water, swim dis way right quick like unless yew wan' ter be a first-hand witness ov Redjaw's digesshun tract!"
Round One
21 Bjorn
20 Alexei
18 Lucius
11 Redmaw
09 Harold
06 Korvus
02 Villagers
Bjorn encourages the man to get out of the water while watching for any sign of the creature.
Alexei moves toward the shore and pulls his mace, also calling to the men.
Lucius casts a spell upon Bjorn.
A huge form emerges from behind the man and you see the flash of teeth as they clamp down on the flailing villager. The man shrieks in surprise and pain, before being dragged below the water. The creature that grabbed him had a large patch of red along its jaw.
Harold moves toward the water while removing several articles of clothing and staring out at the spot where the villager was taken.
Korvus moves toward the water and flicks his wrist to release the wand stored in the sheath along his forearm.
"Yea, it's right there. See where the bubbles caused by struggling are?"
Lucius picks his crossbow up and readies to shoot Redjaw should he surface.
"As Master Lucius said, it is right there!" Korvus exclaims before beginning the incantation to a summoning spell.