The constable looks still somewhat shocked, but he regains his composure and orders his men to take the two prisoners to a cell. He looks Caesare straight in the eye and nods. "I will hold them, safely and soundly, here. But I will want those answers."
Renting horses once more, you ride north along the Lesser Moutray River, to the Karb Isle Sanctuary. The sad remains of a broken building lie on a spur of land jutting into the river. The burnt timbers of a large house sag into the undergrowth of nettles and thistles. Nature is taking back this charred ruin, as if trying to erase dark memories. Nearby, a small cluster of gravestones jut from the weeds.
The gravestones seem to be older, but you don't find any names you recognize.
Taking his time caesare looks around for clues.[ooc]take 20 perc[/dice]
"Look here! A hole leading into the basement. We should check it out after we finish looking up here."
Down into the rabbit hole once again. I'm starting to feel half ground hog.
No sooner has Sonny said this, that he realizes the sun has just sunk below the horizon and a hissing noise comes from the hole...
Four pale things that were once human surge from the hole, hissing at the living heroes. This humanoid creature has long, sharp teeth, and its pallid flesh is stretched tightly over its starved frame.
Initiatives!
Round 1:
23 Augustus
20 Zanu
19 Xerice
18 Sonny
13 Caesare
11 Foes
"What in Torags name... "
Special attacks and special defenses?
No, these are just regular ghasts; the crap ghasts come later in Chapter 5: "Bowels of Fear!"
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Foul beast! Back into the ground from which you came as dust!"
Augustus says a few arcane words and the party feels enhanced.
Sonny's holy energies blast forth, hitting the ghasts like fire.
The closest one takes it the hardest, but the others burn as well.
Augustus speaks words of magic and time seems to slow for the heroes, giving them more time to act!
Caesare drinks an extract of strong arm ready to attack
Xerice casts a spell to strengthen her muscles and holds her magical mace at the ready.
-Posted with Wayfinder
The ghasts hiss and step to attack!
for damage and need 2 Fort Saves: 1 vs disease and 1 vs paralysis!
for damage and need a Fort save vs paralysis!
for damage and need a Fort save vs paralysis!
for damage and need 2 Fort Saves: 1 vs disease and 1 vs paralysis!
for damage and need a Fort save vs paralysis!
for damage and need a Fort save vs paralysis!
for damage and need 2 Fort Saves: 1 vs disease and 1 vs paralysis!
for damage and need a Fort save vs paralysis!
for damage and need a Fort save vs paralysis!
for damage and need 2 Fort Saves: 1 vs disease and 1 vs paralysis!
Do I get an AoO?
Xerice steps closer and swings the magical mace with abandon.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sonny takes the brunt of the ghasts' attack. He stiffens after the first attack and drops to the ground.
Seeing Sonny stiffen and fall, Xerice steps up and smashes the nearest ghast. Zanu's magic missiles take two more out, leaving only a single ghast remaining.
The last ghast standing hisses and snarls, but Ezechias steps forward and dispatches it with little fanfare. As it falls to the ground, all four bodies begin to rot rapidly, becoming piles of fetid mush in moments.
After a few moments Sonny unstiffens, levering himself to his feet. With caution, you descend into the hole, discovering a basement that survived the fire. A pair of large water casks sits beneath the entrance shaft to climb upon. The cellar itself is some 15 feet high, and is a mess, as the remains of Brada’s workshop have been f lung about and otherwise thrown into disarray. A ghastly trophy made of burnt heads dangling on chains from an iron candelabrum hangs from the ceiling near the shaft.
All of the heads save one display deformities. The single undeformed head wears round glasses.. In the debris you discover several items: 12 silver crossbow bolts, a melted gold belt buckle, a silver bracelet featuring an owl devouring the moon and a small vial with a faded label that says 'Vorkstag and Grine's Chymical Bleach.'
As Sonny doesn't rise, Xerice looks over at him and scoffs. "Pfft sleeping on the job. Sarenrae's follower's these days." She still takes out her wand of cure light wounds and uses it on Sonny.
Sonny is helped to his feet before you search the basement.
You ride back to Lepidstadt and Ezechias shakes his head. "This whole.. ordeal troubles me. So much wasted life over what? Profit? I feel dirtied by the whole thing. I will be in court tomorrow, but tonight I need to purify myself. I will meet up with you at the trial." He rides off, seeking a temple in which to rededicate himself to his faith.
You head back toward your inn, but a strange sight stops you: a mob of angry townspeople has gathered outside the courthouse and are demanding that the officers hand the Beast over to them for, as one bold leader demands, 'proper justice.'
There looks to be about 50 members of the mob and 5 ringleaders who are doing most of the talking. The individual mob members are citizens, mostly armed with pitchforks or shovels, though a few have crossbows or clubs. One of the ringleaders turns and spots you riding up. "That's the Beast's 'defenders'! Those are the ones who seek to save that thing! How many innocent people have to die before you'll try to save the rest of us from that murderous thing?!?"
Looking around and starting with a big sigh Caesare smiles at the people.
"Dear fellow citizens. Rejoice! The band of culprits are in custody. Lady Truth will show her beautiful face, and the real murderers will face your righteous fury! But we can now prove, without any doubt! I repeat without any doubt! That the poor, tortoured soul on trial, has always been a friend to the people, hoping for someone to see beyond his face. It is said, that Desna once meet a wolf on her travels, looking for companionship. Nobody trusted him, but she found a man as a friend. And from this wolf the dog was born, the most trusted friend of man, guidance, protector and true friend! Now, you can return to your beds and await the morning, for the morning trial will answer all your questions."
The mob looks at each other with confusion at your words, clearly somewhat at a loss. One of the ringleaders, a different one this time, pipes up. "Whaddya mean 'real murderers'? The Beast did it! He killed them people and them kids and burnt down them crazy folks!"
"What I mean is NO he is NOT the murderer. The murderers are other people, we have arrested! True monsters in and out!"
The ringleaders seem to turn and stare at each other. "Wait, what? I ain't heard nothing of no one bein' arrested. Who are they?"
"You adorable fools are obviously not in the loop. We got the perpetrators already and the proof is damning. Now shoo! Head back to your houses and wait like good little boys and the justice system will do its work for you thanks to us. You will hear all about it tomorrow morning." Xerice says, sort of lovingly, but her friends can easily make out her sense of disgust for a mob like this.
Between Xerice and Caesare, about half the mob sort of drifts away, shaking their heads and mumbling something about dinner. Suddenly from behind you, you hear a familiar voice. It's Kaleb Hesse, the albino ringmaster of the Crooked Kin!
"What do I see? I see a group of men menacing people I know to be good and true, who have been friends to the Kin in a time of need, who have put their own business on hold to help the Courts determine the guilt of an accused man. I see men standing in anger, eager to condemn a soul who is simple and strange, much as many of my troupe are, but who deserves a day in court! I see you, Eben Plum, who shows up every time we are in town to smile at our antics. I see you, Jorgen Friist, who laughs whenever I tumble through a hoop. And I see the rest of you, who have wives and children waiting at home. Now shoo! Home with you, to bed and supper and safety! Let the court work and let the law decide." Hesse stands theatrically, staring down anyone who will look him in the eyes, and the crowd fades back away, breaking up and slumping home.
Hesse turns back to you with a smile. "My friends! I have heard wondrous news of your turn at barristers! Pray tell, how are you?"
"Sometimes fate adds burdens to your shoulders, but Madame justice will ask you to bear them and then some. We have been prodded, our souls have been attacked, we have been bitten at, but... we did not stray, we did not falter, we did succeed in our quest for the truth and justice. Pray tell me, you will open your show here soon. I might have just the perfect addition for your troupe, and in my heart I know the one I have in mind will be a valuable friend to your family!"
Hesse nods. "A new addition, you say? We have finished setting up but the city leaders wish to allow the trial to finish before we can open properly. I believe they want us to provide a distraction from the circus!" He chuckles a bit. "But I must be off to my own bed, friends. Come see us on the northern edge of town when you have time!" With a smile and a wave, he heads off.
The mob has dispersed and things seem to quiet. You head back to bed, and from there to sleep. The next morning is gray and misty and foreboding, and it is with a heavy head that you rise from bed to cleanse yourselves and head to the trial.
The elderly clerks accept your new evidence with some gasps and shock, and the sheriff brings a bound and gagged Vorkstag to the holding cells.
With a thumping of the Herald's heavy staff, the trial begins. Chief Justice Khard reminds the crowd of the penalties of violence, and tells them that he will clear the entire court if they do not behave. He also warns them that mobs do not rule Lepidstadt, and that should anyone threaten violence to any of the defense, he will have the person whipped out of town or hanged. He then requests the prosecution to describe the alleged events at Sanctuary.
The prosecution details the arson attack on the hospital of Sanctuary on Karb Isle 4 months ago. Otto alleges that the Beast set fire to the building, murdering Doctor Brada and his patients in the process, and states that only Brada’s loyal assistant Karl survived. Otto calls Karl to the stand to give his evidence. Karl speaks of what he saw and did that night, acting nervous to be in front of so many people.
Finally Gustav Kaple stands and stammering, calls you to the floor to cross-examine the witness and present any evidence found at the Sanctuary.
In addition, Gustav adds that you have some related evidence to present that may shed light on the whole case. The Judges allow this.
Caesare will ask Karl if he has more information apart from the size, reminding him that shadows can be bigger, even from further away. And asking if he would touch the beast to confirm it was him, letting his hands be his eyes!
"Ladies and Gentleman, the high court, thank you for your permission to speak. In the course of our investigation we did find out that there is a company in this city, behind of some of those grave findings we have found. Let me recapitulate to the first day of the trial. The dear attorny accused our poor sould of murderer so vile, and we heard that the true culprit was bitten in the shoulder. Please dear court keep that in mind. This will be very important later on. Last night we did investigate the scene of the vile fire and we did find again evidence. Ghastly evidence in the truest meaning of the word. We found a room, a laboratory with heads displayed at the chandeleer, and the head of a man with round glasses. In this vile chamber the stench of murderer was so vile that it was nearly worse than that of the ghasts living there. Dear court, we can show a person of your trust the room, so that he can see what happened there. But I can tell you! They did experiments there and murderered people to sell their bodies. You will ask whom. I can tell you. It was the company Vorkstag and Grine's Chymical Bleach!
Earlier that day we followed a lead to this place, as we have found the means to perform grisly experiments with the inhabitants of the lovely town of Herstag. What we found there were the bodies of innocent people tranformed to undead. We will present the court with prove, in form of a captured undead. We have found one of the owners, some thing, able to wear the skin of slain people as a suit, and able to take their form. And now we come back to the crocodile incident, this culprit still bears the marks of the brave reptile.
And you ask why they were there? You ask why? Because after the fire they couldn´t harvest bodies in the sanatorium. They did dig up the graves there.
In the end, we can prove, without a doubt, that the poor defendant is in fact innocent of all the crimes presented here! That his only crime is his birth, that forced him to life his live with a body like his. But did he resign? Did he fall for a live of evil! No, dear court it did not. It stayed at the frindes of society and befriended a girl. And that was his other crime. Friendship.
Dear Court, there is no crime called friendship! So with all due respect, in our opinion the only just verdict is NOT GUILTY!"
Diplomacy roll!
The professor nods constantly during Caesare's explanations. When the words "not guilty" are said, he cheers, clapping with his hands.
Karl seems reluctant to touch the Beast, telling you with all honesty, "I never touched him to begin with, so I don't think I can identify him that way!" This line elicits laughter from the court, which the Herald squashes with a single rap of his staff.
Casesare's speech has the crowd leaning forward and gasping at all the right moments. The Herald however, raps his staff and glares at the cheering Professor.
A sullen Vorkstag is brought before the court, bound and tied. He is set down and reminded by the court that he is under oath. However, he refuses to speak, glowering at the court until the Sister of Justice steps forward and murmurs a complex prayer. Suddenly his eyes go slightly glazed. The Sister pronounces solemnly "He will speak only the truth now."
"Vorkstag." He murmurs in a monotone voice.
"MR Vorkstag, please explain your position in the company Vorkstag and Grine's Chymical Bleach. Please explain, in detail, how you obtained some extra income. Please explain how we found undead in your cellars!"
Vorkstag groans. "I am co-owner with the late Mr Grine, whom you killed. We supply alchymical supplies across Ustalav and beyond... and we also... supply corpses to... doctors and professors... and other necromantically inclined persons." Vorkstag is visibly shaking with the effort of trying to resist the spell. "We created... a new form of zombie... infused with chymicals to keep the brains alive and thinking... It is a masterpiece!" He almost crows the last part before nearly collapsing. Sullenly he continues, telling the tale of how he stole the bodies from Morast disguised as the Shambling Man, and of how they killed a couple villagers to determine if the remarkable preservation of the corpses was due to some special quality. He goes onto describe being bitten by the giant caiman, and a bite mark is clearly visible on his shoulder. He describes his relationship with Doctor Brada and how he would purchase the bodies of patients from Brada, and of how the doctor got moral and demanded that it stop, after which Vorkstag set the place ablaze. He denies having anything to do with the children of Herkstag.
The court is deathly silent, save for gasps and sobs at points during the narrative. The flayed skins found in Vorkstag's room are shown, including the Shambling Man skin and the gallery is silent. Finally Vorkstag seems to have taken too much and collapses into unconsciousness. The Judges stand as one and announce that they will deliberate and return. They urge the lawyers to remain close.
An hour later the Herald calls you back into the chamber. The judges return and the Chief Justice, Khard, stands to deliver the verdict. “We have heard the evidence presented before us, and thank Pharasma that we did so, for without this trial there would have been a most terrible miscarriage of justice. There are many cruelties in the world, but to lie and blame another for one’s crimes is the most terrible of sins. We have asked ourselves a question—who is the monster here? Is it this creature before us, with its broken body and terrible form, or is it we, the people of Lepidstadt, with our bigotry and lies? The Beast is innocent!”
There is a confused silence in the court. The crowd lets out a collective sigh and then begins to shuffle out, clearly emotionally drained. The Beast's shackles are undone by a terrified looking jailer, who clearly expects violent reprisal at the Beast's giant hands. But none comes. Instead the Beast smiles innocently at the man, and ambles over toward you.
He clears his throat, making a deep noise in his chest. "You am the Beast's friends. You am best friends Beast ever have! Beast am going home now, home to Father and Schloss Caromarc. Father am no like visitors, but you come? You come soon? Please!"