Arika is rather surprised by Ekan's explanation. "Oh. Um... thanks." She blushes.
"Would you like to come in?" She asks, moving back to the door.
Ekan looks about at what work might remain to be done, "Certainly, perhaps I should to apologize to your sister and mother if I woke them as well. If they're up, if they're not, then hopefully I won't bore you. I'm not much of a conversationalist. I'm afraid I can't linger too long though. My friends may come looking for me."
"Tower Street? Just follow Market Street to the square, then keep going onto Water Street before you turn onto Main Street. Then just follow Main Street all the way to the end, and take a left. Mr. Quink's house should be at the end." Ameiko explains to Eostre.
"Thank you!"
Eostre finishes her breakfast, slurps down another cup of coffee and then trundles out the door towards Tower Street.
Sheriff Hemlock watches Fulko's antics with mild amusement.
"Easy there, Nicat. Trying to take the fight to the goblins is harder than it sounds. For starters, they tend to make their homes in terrain that's difficult to navigate." He starts pacing. "Swamps, mountains, even seaside cliffs are all fair game for them."
"As to our goblin captive..." Sheriff Hemlock stops pacing, looking at Ilya. "He's become more cooperative, though that's not saying much. His tribe, the Licktoads, make their home in Brinestump Marsh, south of town. For the most part, they don't normally get so bold as to attack Sandpoint. They'll harass travellers, sure, but they're easily driven back if you know what you're doing."
"Glad to hear Zord is being cooperative" Said Fulko as he rubbed his stubble with his right hand, and his eyes looked upwards as if he was contemplating something "But he's probably just glad his whip didn't carry on his name" A wild look came over Fulko's eyes without warning and as quick as it came it was gone when he refocused on the sheriff.
"I don't think we have to take the fight to the goblins sheriff, or at least the town doesn't have to" The black haired man turned his face to the bounty board, walked to it in a casual manner and put his hand on it before turn his head to face the sheriff "With the bounty up again you'll have people with blades, pole-arms and in Nicat's case slings doing that for you" Fulko smirked as he walked back to the sheriff "Which means I got to get to work before you're up to your ears in goblin ears sheriff" A short chortle escaped Fulko's lips "Nicat, Ilya care to join me? There is a gold mine in goblins out there and we've got set up our claim before other bounty hunters hear about this" He patted both on the shoulder a bit too roughly "You see us bounty hunters are very competitive lot"
Nicat continues to puff out his tiny chest and square his shoulders, nodding along bravely as Fulko offers their services as goblin-hunters.
"Uh, sure, yeah, Fulko, of course I want to go fight goblins...in their lairs...in terrain that's difficult to navigate..." His answer winds down a little as he seems to be considering what he's saying, then he shrugs and smiles and continues more forcefully, "You know what, we did so great against those goblins yesterday, I'm up for it, if we're all going together!"
Sheriff Hemlock fixes the assembled group with a stern gaze at the mention of going goblin hunting.
"Well, from the sound of things, there's not much I can do to change your minds. If you're really serious about this, could you at least do me a favour?"
He starts pacing again. "I've been interrogating the goblin you captured, and from what he told me, this was an inside job. Someone ordered them to kill everyone in town and burn it down, but he also mentioned that their leader was sent on a 'secret mission' to the town graveyard."
He stops pacing. "I would appreciate it if you all could go to the graveyard and see if you can find out what the Hell they were doing there. It's bad enough that those goblins try to burn our homes, but desecrating our dead?"
----------------
Ekan sees that there's not much else to be done in terms of yard work as Arika leads him inside.
The kitchen of the Avertin home is small, but cozy. Aneka is still clad in yellows & whites as yesterday, but she's considerably messier than Arika this morning. Their mother, Alma, sits at the head of a small table, her grey hair tightly bound up in a bun. She wears a simple brown dress that's splotched white with flour around her ankles. There are four places at the table, three of which have plates of bread and vegetables in various states of consumption.
Alma looks up at Ekan as he enters. Her mood is slightly improved by his visit, it seems. "Hello Ekan. That was you hacking away at my ivy?"
----------------
Following Ameiko's directions, you walk through Sandpoint's sunny streets. You hear snatches of laughter from children playing, mixed with the chattering of local gossipy farmers.
Soon enough, you find yourself standing before Old Light, the towering ruin easily dwarfing the houses in its shadow. Brodert Quink's home is only a few feet from it, a simple, one-story abode.
As you approach to knock, you hear a warbling, crotchety voice from inside. "NO THANK YOU! I don't want any solicitors, relatives, or well-wishers! I'm in the middle of something very important!"
----------------
Father Zantus gets up from his prayers at the shrine of Desna before turning and seeing Sylvia. "Oh! Hello again, my dear. What can I do for you today?"
An inside job? That changes everything, someone thinks that there is something valuable in that graveyard...but what could be worth so much that you'd want to burn a whole town for? A determined look came over Fulko's facade as he considered the mystery presented to them This is getting interesting Thought Fulko as he unconsciously ran his finger along the flat side of his battle axe's blade, for the first time in his life a job has gotten him curious, and he wasn't going to pass it up, even if the pay wasn't ideal, interesting jobs were just far too rare.
"Yeah, I'll check it out, lets go lads we've got to see if the others..." The bounty hunter halted mid sentence and turned to the sheriff "You think we can get the reward for taking care of the goblins now sheriff? After we're done with the graveyard we're going to have to get some supplies if we are going to go goblin hunting"
"Of course." Sheriff Hemlock nods. "But it'll be easier for me to reward you if you tell me how many goblins your group killed yesterday."
"I've been interrogating the goblin you captured, and from what he told me, this was an inside job. Someone ordered them to kill everyone in town and burn it down, but he also mentioned that their leader was sent on a 'secret mission' to the town graveyard. I would appreciate it if you all could go to the graveyard and see if you can find out what the Hell they were doing there."
"Hmmm... this stinks of necromancy." Ilya taps his chin in a thoughtful way. "I've never cared for the practice, myself. It would be worth a look. Though, I think we might collect our precocious priestess before we make such a foray."
Ilya looks out the window at the sun still on the ascent. "It would be best to go early. I'd much rather encounter the graveyard in the midday sun, than with evening fast upon us."
Eostre smirks a little.
"What about potential academic colleagues? I'm told you're the local expert on Thassilonian lore?"
There's a pause before Eostre hears footsteps from inside the house. The door opens to reveal an old man with a balding head of white hair, a bushy beard, large spectacles and brown & blue robes. He adjusts his spectacles for a better look.
"Well, I suppose I can make time for scholarly advice. I wouldn't call myself an 'expert' when it comes to Thassilon, exactly; if I truly were an expert, I wouldn't still be searching for more knowledge of it."
A small, yellow-furred cat peeks out from behind the door.
Ekan follows Arika and inclines his head to both her sister and mother as he sees them.
Alma looks up at Ekan as he enters. Her mood is slightly improved by his visit, it seems. "Hello Ekan. That was you hacking away at my ivy?"
"Yes, Ma'am," He answers politely, "I apologize if I presume too much or made too much noise. Your girls were powerful busy the otherday serving your family's amazing pies, and I figured they'd be busy with clean up today so thought maybe taking a little work off something small like the yard would ease the load a bit. It occurs to me now I might have overstepped. I hope I didn't?"
Ekan feels a bit nervous. Nicat is the one who's good with people, and Sylvia's good heart wins all folks over. He himself often felt rather bland compared to them, and while he sought to master the serenity the monk path guided some to, the truth was he was still a young man with a young man's uncertainties.
Nicat gulps audibly and says, ”The…uh…graveyard?” His eyes flick from side to side as he weighs whether this is better or worse than the idea of taking the fight to the goblins in their own village. Seeing how calmly Fulko is taking the proposal, however, Nicat calms down and says, ”Uh, yeah, we got it.” He then agrees strongly with Ilya, ”And we’ll definitely go during the day. Soon.”
When the sheriff asks how many goblins they killed, Nicat becomes much more animated, responding excitedly, ”How many goblins? Tons! Fulko was reaping ‘em like wheat, and Ilya was bouncing crossbow bolts off the walls, and Eostre zapped some with a rainbow! I probably took out a half-dozen with my sling too!” Looking to his companions, Nicat asks, ”What would you say, we probably killed seventeen or eighteen goblins, right?”
There's a pause before Eostre hears footsteps from inside the house. The door opens to reveal an old man with a balding head of white hair, a bushy beard, large spectacles and brown & blue robes. He adjusts his spectacles for a better look.
"Well, I suppose I can make time for scholarly advice. I wouldn't call myself an 'expert' when it comes to Thassilon, exactly; if I truly were an expert, I wouldn't still be searching for more knowledge of it."
A small, yellow-furred cat peeks out from behind the door.
"Brodert Quink, I presume? Eostre Roldheim, apprentice to the Lodge of Cyphers and prospective Thassilonologist. I came to Sandpoint planning an archaeological dig at the Old Light, and was told you've already been investigating the site."
She extends her hand.
Sylvia walks up to Father Zantus, looking around at the beautiful stained glass windows, "Shelyn would approve, Father. You have done very well with this temple."
"But tell me, how are the injured? Will there be services held? I would like to help in any way I can, if you'll permit me."
"Ten goblins" Said Fulko with a look of confidence on his face "Not all of them are dead, as you've got Zord locked up here" He added, with something that appeared to be a serious tone in his voice.
"First rule of bounty hunting Nicat, always give your employer a clear number, if they trust ya they'll give ya more jobs" He turns to the halfling, his tone a mix joviality and sternness "Also no need to pay me for the goblin dog, I ain't in the business of killing rats, well if the others want to get paid for it that is fine by me" Laughed Fulko as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
Quink shakes Eostre's hand.
"A pleasure to meet a prospective Cyphermage. At least SOMEONE here is more inclined to take my work seriously for a change."
He opens his door fully, revealing a cluttered, two-room home. One corner of the front room has a small stove with a table and a couple of chairs nearby, directly opposite a desk covered with papers and bits of stone. A bookshelf overflowing with various texts sits a little too close to the desk.
The cat ambles over to the other room.
-------------------
Alma shakes her head. "Oh, don't worry about it. These two were too busy with the Festival yesterday to do much else anyway." She nods at her two daughters.
Alma winces at the mention of the Festival. Aneka scratches her head. "Hungry, Ekan?"
-------------------
Father Zantus sighs. "Well, the wounded have been adequately treated, in no small part to your efforts, Sylvia. We haven't been holding services yet, today--most of the congregation is staying home, it seems."
"And... actually, I'd like your help with something." He motions for Sylvia to follow him out the door.
-------------------
"Ten goblins, Fulko?" Sheriff Hemlock nods. "At 10 gold per dead goblin, that'll come out to 100 gold pieces."
One of the deputies digs around in a nearby desk, producing a burlap sack. He carries it over and hands it off to Fulko.
"Oh, thank you for the offer, but I had some breakfast at the Rusty Dragon before I came here," He thinks of the fruit, "And that pie yesterday was enough to stuff me for a day or two all on its own." He smiles at the thought of the indulgence, "As a monk I'm supposed to be able to resist the temptations of the world, but your family's cooking is a true test of will power for a man to resist."
Nicat makes a show of carefully counting on his fingers, mumbling something about, "That sleeping one I got with the sling, the one on the dog, the two by the stage..." He looks up, shrugs and says, "Yeah, ten sounds about right, I guess."
At the sheriff's response, Nicat's eyes widen once again and he says, "A hundred gold pieces! Fulko, I'm ready for you to teach me bounty hunting! That's a bunch of gold for a few minutes work, eh?"
He walks over to Fulko as he receives the sack of gold and stands, arms crossed proudly, looking for all the world like a very small, very determined, would-be bounty-hunter. "Let's go find the others," he says, "we've got a graveyard to check out. And we don't want to do that as the sun is setting."
Quink shakes Eostre's hand.
"A pleasure to meet a prospective Cyphermage. At least SOMEONE here is more inclined to take my work seriously for a change."
He opens his door fully, revealing a cluttered, two-room home. One corner of the front room has a small stove with a table and a couple of chairs nearby, directly opposite a desk covered with papers and bits of stone. A bookshelf overflowing with various texts sits a little too close to the desk.
The cat ambles over to the other room.
"Seriously? They doubt your findings?"
Eostre scans the shelves to see if there are any copies of texts she'd read in the Cypher Lodge's library.
She also pulls out the sheaf of notes from Paulinus that she'd been keeping close since she left Riddleport.
"Lets find the others" Announced Fulko as he exited the sheriff's office "I'll be back with some goblin ears later on sheriff" Called out the green eyed warrior before stepping out of the door.
"Don't worry Nicat, I'll be sure to let ya in on all of the trade secrets of bounty hunting" Replied Fulko to the halfling "But first lets head to the Rusty Dragon, Ameiko probably knows where they all went, and that's your first lesson; inns and taverns are a gold mine of information"
Sylvia follows Father Zantus out the door, a puzzled look on her face, "How can I assist you, Father?"
Ilya follows along with Fulko and Nicat with a very introspective look on his face. "What could be of value in the graveyard?"
Quink *harrumphs*. "Oh, they don't doubt that Old Light was built at the height of Thassilon's power. For heaven's sake, just take a look at these..."
He shuffles over to his desk, scattering papers off to the side. He produces a pair of bricks, both of which bear a carved image of a seven-pointed star.
"These two bricks were found near the top of the damned place. It's the mark of ancient Thassilon, for certain. However, everyone here and their mother believes that Old Light was an old lighthouse." He wrinkles his nose and snorts, his moustache & beard briefly flaring. "Tell me, Eostre, you strike me as being an intelligent sort of woman. Perhaps you can answer me this: why in all the layers of Hell, the Abyss and beyond would an empire founded by supremely powerful magi need lighthouses?"
-------------------
The girls blush at Ekan's compliment, Aneka less so.
"Why, don't you just always know what to say to make an old woman feel better?" Alma chuckles. She gets up from the table and walks over to a pantry, taking out a loaf of bread and giving it to Ekan.
"Have a little something for the road, at least. If you're not hungry, then could you at least give it to that blue boy? I mean, goodness, the poor man looks like he's been dining on nothing but twigs his whole life."
-------------------
The sun is shining up in the sky as the group leaves the garrison and walks back to the Rusty Dragon.
Ameiko glances up at the assembled group as they return. "Back again already?" She asks before promptly returning to work. The Rusty Dragon has drawn a few people in for breakfast, it seems.
-------------------
Father Zantus clears his throat as he walks. "See, after we finished tending the wounded last night, after you left, I checked on the graveyard to see if Naffer was alright." He looks over at Sylvia. "Naffer is the graveyard's caretaker, and I was hoping he wasn't hurt in the goblin attack."
"Well, the good news is he wasn't. The bad news..." He trails off, picking up the pace.
"Perhaps I should just show you." His voice is trembling a bit.
Nicat smiles at Ameiko and says, "Yep, we walked off breakfast, going to collect our goblin bounty from the sheriff." He climbs onto a bench running along one of the long tables and seats himself contentedly, as if he hadn't just eaten recently, puffs up his wee chest and says, "'Course, that leaves a man ready for second breakfast, you know? Since we did so well by your bacon and eggs, I'm thinking this time around I'd like sausages and toast. And d'ya have any jam? I'm partial to raspberry, though any kind of berry would do."
As Ameiko walks away, Nicat waves to catch Bethana's eye and says, "Hi there! Seems Ameiko didn't hear me when I was ordering second breakfast. I'd like sausages and - "
"I heard ya, lad," the old halfling woman says with a patient smile, "and I'm sure Ameiko heard ya too, she's just busy. You'll get your second breakfast, not to worry."
Glad that all is as it should be, Nicat sets himself to waiting for breakfast, nodding to Ilya and Fulko and saying, "Second breakfast! We have to wait for the others anyway, right?" Of course, just sitting and waiting lasts about three heartbeats, and then he decides to try balancing all the salt cellars in the place on top of each other, to make a tower - just like the Old Light - right here on his table. He's a bit too lazy to go and fetch them all, but is happy to use his newly-discovered spell to snake them off nearby tables when he thinks no one is looking.
Quink *harrumphs*. "Oh, they don't doubt that Old Light was built at the height of Thassilon's power. For heaven's sake, just take a look at these..."
He shuffles over to his desk, scattering papers off to the side. He produces a pair of bricks, both of which bear a carved image of a seven-pointed star.
"These two bricks were found near the top of the damned place. It's the mark of ancient Thassilon, for certain. However, everyone here and their mother believes that Old Light was an old lighthouse." He wrinkles his nose and snorts, his moustache & beard briefly flaring. "Tell me, Eostre, you strike me as being an intelligent sort of woman. Perhaps you can answer me this: why in all the layers of Hell, the Abyss and beyond would an empire founded by supremely powerful magi need lighthouses?"
"Well, while Thassilon's RULERS were supremely powerful magi, that doesn't mean everyone in the empire was. Lighthouses would be essential for ship travel, though given what most of my own master's research indicates that they had a rather belligerent relationship with other lands, so trade likely wouldn't have been their purpose. Warships, on the other hand... This is all just speculation, though. You have to consider all the angles. It IS possible that this isn't a lighthouse at all. What's your evidence that it isn't? I'm curious."
The girls blush at Ekan's compliment, Aneka less so.
"Why, don't you just always know what to say to make an old woman feel better?" Alma chuckles. She gets up from the table and walks over to a pantry, taking out a loaf of bread and giving it to Ekan.
"Have a little something for the road, at least. If you're not hungry, then could you at least give it to that blue boy? I mean, goodness, the poor man looks like he's been dining on nothing but twigs his whole life."
"Ah, Ilya! He seems a good sort, if a bit odd. I'll do just that, Goodwoman, and thank you," Ekan takes it graciously, "In fact, I should go now. I've taken up enough of your time together. It was good to see you all, and I wish each of you a blessed day."
Ekan bows lightly, and withdraws. His thoughts rather full as he heads outside, It was good to help them out, but it does make me rather homesick for my family. If the waterfields can be said to be one anymore. He finds himself out on the street with an uncharacteristic sigh.
"Bethana, do you have any idea where the rest of our group went?" Asked Fulko as he set 'Victor' against a nearby wall and sat down next to Nicat.
Ilya turns a quizzical look towards Nicat. "Odd... I distinctly remember having had breakfast, already." He turns towards the stairs leading to his room, and begins a silent recounting of the days a events ending with him back at the Rusty Dragon. "Still, I've been wrong before," he shrugs as he takes the seat across from Nicat.
"I hope there's coffee."
"Exactly!" Quink nods. "The Thassilonian Empire was infamous for the rivalries amongst its rulers. As for evidence?" He turns and digs around on his bookshelf, producing a book and opening it to a dog-eared page.
The page depicts a tall stone structure, much like Old Light. However, the top of the structure is launching what appears to be some sort of fireball at an approaching armada. "Every piece of evidence I've found corroborates this as being a siege engine of no small power. Old legends, ancient runes, and the libraries of Magnimar have all said the same thing. I've searched for any proof to the contrary, but if there is any, I haven't found it."
------------------
Bethana brings up Nicat's second breakfast: a couple of servings of oatmeal and sausages.
"Well, Miss Roldheim said she was going to visit Mr. Quink on Tower Street, Ms. Sylvia went to the cathedral, and Ekan said he was going to visit the Avertins."
Just as Bethana finishes, Ekan walks in the door, a loaf of bread under one arm. "Well, bless my soul! Just as I say his name!"
------------------
The two priests arrive at Sandpoint's boneyard, the sun shining high in the sky. The grave markers of Sandpoint are mostly plain, bearing only an inscription of the deceased's name and day of death. The exceptions to this are the tombs near the edges and centre of the graveyard, which are considerably more elaborate. They likely belong to prominent families in Sandpoint.
"This way." Father Zantus leads Sylvia to the centre of the graveyard, to a mausoleum that is decorated with symbols of butterflies and stars. The door appears to have been violently ripped open, and the earth before the door is thoroughly trampled upon. "Someone broke into the mausoleum reserved for members of the Desnan clergy here."
Team Fulko
Bethana brings up Nicat's second breakfast: a couple of servings of oatmeal and sausages."Well, Miss Roldheim said she was going to visit Mr. Quink on Tower Street, Ms. Sylvia went to the cathedral, and Ekan said he was going to visit the Avertins."
Just as Bethana finishes, Ekan walks in the door, a loaf of bread under one arm. "Well, bless my soul! Just as I say his name!"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Ekan says as he enters in hearing the subject appears to be him, "Did I miss something while I was at the Avertins?"
"Exactly!" Quink nods. "The Thassilonian Empire was infamous for the rivalries amongst its rulers. As for evidence?" He turns and digs around on his bookshelf, producing a book and opening it to a dog-eared page.
The page depicts a tall stone structure, much like Old Light. However, the top of the structure is launching what appears to be some sort of fireball at an approaching armada. "Every piece of evidence I've found corroborates this as being a siege engine of no small power. Old legends, ancient runes, and the libraries of Magnimar have all said the same thing. I've searched for any proof to the contrary, but if there is any, I haven't found it."
"For pity's sake, how many people in this town can actually READ?! This is the kind of stuff other Cyphermages kill each other over to be the first to reveal, and they treat you like a lunatic! Absurd!"
HERE'S a man that understands me! She thinks to herself.
So, um, Brodert. May I call you Brodert? I'll be staying in Sandpoint for a few weeks at least. I've been given free room and board at the Rusty Dragon at least for the week for my help with yesterday's...fracas, for lack of a better term, and I'd like to assist you in your endeavors here. It wouldn't be sporting to try and muscle you out of this like some of my colleagues back in Riddleport might."
"Ah, well... we've recovered at least one of our prodigal companions. Perhaps we should collect the ladies on the way. I can probably guess where Sylvia went, but where to find Eostre, I wonder."
Ilya slurps down the last of his coffee, sweeping past Ekan at the door. "Would you like to join us? The goblins were graverobbers, it seems. We're off to investigate!"
"Graverobbers? Of course, yes..oh, Ilya, I have bread for you. Goodwoman Avertin wanted you to have it,' He offers it to the man
"Then lets be off, I want to see what our green little grave robbers have been up to" Said Fulko as he grabbed his ranseur and headed to the door at a hastened pace.
Quink is a bit surprised. "Well, I'd be happy to have some assistance with this."
----------------
After everyone's business is resolved, it's a simple matter to regroup at Sandpoint's boneyard. Father Zantus is waiting at the gates, wringing his hands together.
"Oh, thank Desna you arrived. I was about to go to the sheriff; my word, who would do such a horrendous thing?!" He leads you to the centre of the boneyard, to a mausoleum with a great deal of tracks in the dirt before it. Its door is hanging open.
Sylvia peers into the mausoleum, curious as to who would defile the place as well, "I'm not sure who would do such a thing. Who was interred here, specifically? I imagine not all the clergy were Desnan, were they?"
Ilya looks more solemn than you've seen him, so far. "Sometimes I truly dread remembering what I've already known, and guessing what I'm likely to learn. I pray I'm wrong... but, I'm certain I already know... Nualia and the late Father's," he says indicating the crypt.
Ekan also looks about for tracks and the like.
From the looks of the tracks, you think approximately 6 goblins and one humanoid entered and left the mausoleum.
Father Zantus turns to Sylvia. "This was the mausoleum reserved for Father Tobyn and his charge, Nualia... and yes, you'd be correct in assuming not everyone interred in this tomb served Desna in life. Those of Abadar, Gozreh, Sarenrae & Shelyn are all at rest here."
"I hope it'll stay fresh until this evening," he says as he places the loaf in his pack. "Thank you for delivering it."
"Anniversaries hold tremendous power," Ilya explains. "The past collides with the present in strange and powerful ways."
"Were they buried with any valuables? We can always hope it is just a horrible coincidence."
"It could be, but something tells me it isn't," he says looking at the tracks, "Six goblins and one humanoid, presumably taller? Who would work with such monsters?"
"A good question... But, maybe our tall friend wasn't their ally. Is there a groundskeeper or a gravedigger that might have been here, last night, during the festival? Or an unfortunate guardsman with a poor duty? Was anyone found dead or injured nearby?" Ilya plyes the unfortunate Father with a bevy of questions.
Nicat listens as Ekan and Ilya speculate about who might have disturbed the crypt and why, then speaks up tentatively, "I really, really hate to ask this, but don't you think we might learn something by looking inside the mausoleum?"
Nicat looks to his companions for a response, visibly steeling himself for the possibility that they'll say yes.
Still looking inside, Sylvia shrugs, "I don't see anything inside. Maybe it goes further back or downstairs, into a cellar, maybe...?" She'll then step in and try to see if anythings disturbed in the immediate area.
Quink is a bit surprised. "Well, I'd be happy to have some assistance with this."
"Assistance I'd be more than happy to provide. I have some notes I brought with me from Riddleport, written by my late tutor, Paulinus Ornelos. They mentioned Sandpoint, guiding me here. I figured you'd probably get more out of them than I."
Eostre rummages in her pack and pulls the sheaf of parchments out and hands them to Brodert.
"We'd better wait till we get all the information we can before going in Nicat" Replied Fulko, before turning his face towards their destination "Never been to a place like this before..." He said to no one in particular as he looked around himself, his eyes studying the area as he tried to remember if he heard anyone speak about this place before.
"I really, really hate to ask this, but don't you think we might learn something by looking inside the mausoleum?"
"Of course we will," Ilya nods. "But, learning advances exponentially. The more we know before we enter, the more we'll learn inside. In this case, unless the good Father is aware of anyone missing, wounded, or killed in the graveyard, last night... and we don't find a corpse inside... then we have to assume our long-legged friend left with goblins."
"The sherriff said this attack was bigger and more organized than typical... and our goblins have a non-goblin compatriot. It's worth knowing. But, now with the Father's permission..." Ilya waves towards the mausoleum door.
"Hmm..." Quink carefully takes the papers and reads through them.
"Fascinating... Eostre, would you mind overmuch if I borrow these for a few days? I need to read these more closely; your tutor appears to have been onto something here!" He asks, his eyes twinkling.
---------------
Father Zantus is a bit befuddled by Ilya's flurry of questions. "Well... the only person here at the time of the attack was Naffer, but that would be just absurd! Father Tobyn took him in and gave him a purpose! He would never do something so disgraceful as robbing the tomb of the man who turned his life around!"
He nods. "By all means, go ahead and investigate. Just... please try not to break anything in there."
"Yes I've heard of this Naffer Vosk, heard he's always about here making sure the place is clean, so it would make sense if we find his tracks, still doubt the man will mind if we talk to him, you know where we could find him?" Asked Fulko, his eyes beholding some of the tombstones around them and then fixated themselves on the mausoleum Hmmm a grave robber would go there...unless something was disturbed here and we just haven't noticed it Fulko turned from left to right, walking to some graves that were a bit unclear from his position and checking for any signs of freshly turned earth.
