Gur smiles, a toothsome affair filled with more tusk than joy."Ahh but you see I am pretty sure it is. For if it isn't, well I would rather not think about living in a place haunted by murderous spirits and a self deluded society. Fortunately for them I have a conscience and can not leave until after I have done what needs to be done to fix the situation, whether they want me to or not."
"But why dream of murderous spirits and a suspicious town? Wouldn't it be better to dream of more pleasant things?" Toni asks, recalling something the professor told her during their brief acquaintance. "If you dream of such things, then perhaps you are wrestling with your 'subconscious'. At least, that's what the professor would probably say."
"Can I help?" Gabbi asks as Kendra goes to leave.
Ras made it clear that the books would be there for a month at least. There are people thay need help so that is his focus. Also we dont get the PP until we deliver the books in a month and not before.
As everyone is talking in the courtyard the stone man walks by headed to the church.
[ooc]I read up on worshipers of Torag. They expect to be leaders and community and planing are there number one concerns. So in that vein he expects everyone will follow if he leads.[/b]
Ras made it clear that the books would be there for a month at least. There are people thay need help so that is his focus. Also we dont get the PP until we deliver the books in a month and not before.
As everyone is talking in the courtyard the stone man walks by headed to the church.
Rasgraton arrives at the Cathedral. It is a peaceful day and Father Grimburrow is our front working on the rose bushes. Well met, master Rock-being. Forgive me, I do not know your name. we are safe to talk here in the gardens...I have protected this area from their filthy scrying spells.
Hmmm...Well met to you as well father. I am known as Rasgraton in the human lands. I hope my companions will be coming along shortly. Ras will look to see if anyone else is coming and if they are he will wait until they catch up to ask the following.
Who would be scrying on you? We have some concerns about what is happening in your church. It seems you do as well, perhaps we can help? He then busies himself as if he was just talking about the roses.
Toni notices the oread walking by and follows closely behind. "Perhaps we'll get another chance to talk, Gur."
Concerns? Ha! It's a bloody nightmare!
Have you ever heard of 'the whispering way'? Well, if you haven't you WILL. A high ranking official of that cursed cult was elected Arch-Bishop of Lepidstadt two years ago. Can you believe that? The Arch-Bishop of Pharasma a member of the Whispering Way...
The Archbishop assigned that bastard Alfons to my parish about the same time. That's when the kids started to complain. I went to Lipidstadt to petition the Bishop to step in. Know what he said? He said 'as long as my clerics are humble and seek Pharasma, who am I to judge?'
I couldn't believe it...
Everyone in town is either snowed by them or afraid of them. I've been trying to get enough support to confront them, but it's difficult! They have divination magic that keeps me from surprising them. And I'm not the powerful cleric I once was in my youth.
Just then 2 acolytes walk by on the street. They greet you and Father Grimburrow warmly as they go by about their business. Father Grimburrow gives a 'hrumph' and raises 1 eyebrow. Then turns back to you.
One of the altar servers said you might be able to help. If you help me kill those bastard and free our kids we would be forever in your debt. However, I fear that if we do, we may bring the wrath of the archbishop down upon our town...
It seems to me there is no choice here at all...
"Of course, Father," Toni says, secretly comforted by Grimburrow's admissions. Her anger would burn white-hot and there would be no mercy. It was a satisfying thought. "I am not familiar with Alfon's schedule, so when would be a good time to 'pay him a visit'?"
A good question.
It's going to be hard to catch the fat bastard off guard. Maybe the best thing to do would just be go confront him during Sunday service! There would be a lot of witnesses, yes, but he would be least prepared at that time. But I am not a tactician...Another option would be to sneak into the lower levels of the Cathedral and night and get him while he's sleeping.
The Oread thinks to himself for a moment.
I do not like the idea of attacking a man while he sleeps. I think we should confront the man during his next service and tell the whole town what he has been doing. His own reaction will be his undoing.
After a long pause he adds. Perhaps we can have one of the children to tell their story at the service as well.
"However we do it, we need to take him out and make sure that the town is not against us." Gilderoy toys with the key in his hands. "Anyone know what this is to?"
Looking to the key in Gilderoy's hand I believe it goes to the chest that contains the books we are to return.
Turning to the rest of the group.If we are in agreement that we will confront him tomorrow I think we should speak to one of the assistants that has been abused and see if she will tell her story. As Mr. Targedew suggests this should get the town more on the side of outsiders if one of their own tells her story. Antoni did you or Gabbi speak to any of the girls last night?
"Just so long as we're not talkin' about cuttin' the man in front of his congregation just cause he creeps us out. Do you have any evidence that he's up to no good Brother Grim? Or do you know where we might find some?"
Well, besides the word of the kids, all I have this...
Father Grimburrow removes a letter from his vestments and hands it to Talon. It has the official seal of the Archbishop of Lepidstadt and is addressed to a Cleric of Pharasma named 'Jolinar.'
That was one of the priests the archbishop brought in to Ravengro when he was elected. I stole that letter from his quarters, Pharasma forgive me, but before I could blow the conspiracy open, Jolinar dissappeared! It doesn't prove that Alfons and his cronies are guilty of molesting children, per se, but...well see what you think?! I fear my chruch has fallen into the hands of vicious wolves...
Dearest, beloved brother Jolinar,
Since you have informed me of the interferance of Grimburrow in that which Pharasma has blessed you, namely, your right to take pleasure in your work and in those under you charge, which Pharasma has ordained for that purpose: your altar servers...I fear the town may not understand these delicate matters. I may not be able to protect you. So I hereby order you back to Lepidstadt where you may serve by my side, and the two of us may instead take such pleasure in eachother, along with the rest of the beloved brothers here. I look forward to your hastey return.
Sincerely,
His Emennance,
Archbishop of Lipistadt.
Gabbi returns carrying one end of the chest of books with Kendra to discover Gilderoy has left with the key. She wanders outside and the other will find her sitting in a daze and watching the girls paying jump rope.
To Toni, Father Grimburrow almost seemed too eager. She didn't trust Alfons, but how was she to trust this man either? Gilderoy's plan seemed solid enough. The town would tear him apart if they saw fit. Her head hurt now.
While Gabi waits she sees a women crossing the street holding a baby. A carriage approaches. The driver is preoccupied, looking for something in his jacket. It looks like the carriage is going to hit the women and the baby is something is not done...
Gabbi breaks out of the stupor. She moves forward, moving quickly to be infront of the horses she yells "RUN" oddly the yell seems dirrected at the horses not the woman.
A horse gets no will save. The spooked team bolts left, capsizing the carriage. It slides through the muck and mud toward you at alarming speed. Are you standing between the women and the carriage? Or are you off to the side?
Talon hands the letter around for the rest of the party to read. "Your church does seem to be in trouble, Brother. I think we'll have to do some investigatin'. Lora, the lass who died protecting the children, is interned at the mausoleum. What happens with her now? Alfons seemed to have a rather unnatural interest in her body."
Gabbi, now on the road between an out of control carriage and a woman and her baby, will glance away from the carriage to the woman just for a moment yelling "RUN" again. She runs towards the woman. Unable to carry the woman to safty, she will put her arm around her and run with her.
As you turn to face the women she does the unthinkable...she does NOT run. Instead she SMILES an reaches out to hand you her baby!!!
WHAT DO YOU DOOOOO????
After you decide what to do, if you finally choose to try to dodge the marauding carriage, reflex save DC15.
Father Grimburrow: Hrumph...what indeed happens to the bodies in there? It used to be a place where the final prayers were said and the families would gather to carry the dead to the grave site. Now they are made to pay the 'expenses' associated with those final rites. Fatty...I mean 'Father' Alfons sets the going rate. Mostly he sets them JUST ABOVE what a family can afford, sqeezing em for all they are worth. And if they can't pay, he's recently been telling them they should try 'The Wishing Well.' Who knows what that means. A smart @ss comment if you ask me...After this, he says the final prayers all alone. No one sees him. Some of the altar servers even say he's TRAPPED the entrance to the moseleum. No one believes an old priest like me though. They say i'm paranoid.
Father Grimburrow goes back to clipping roses...
"The entrance to the mausoleum is trapped, and disabled for that matter. When will he say these final rites? And is there a place in the mausoleum that we might observe from?"
Gabbi will try to push the woman along infront of her and if the carriage looks like it will hit her she'll curl up around the baby trying to protect it, much like they found the babysitter.
Gur waits quietly in the corner. When the letter gets to him he takes a quick read, noting what it says and harrumphs to himself.
Gilderoy shakes his head slowly. "The well is magical and I've got a witness to its effect...it is...an awful thing." The young man seems disturbed by the mention of the well. "That foul thing should be closed off and collapsed if possible. It hungers for flesh and provides gold to those that feed it..."
The pale man seems both angry and withdrawn at the mention of the well. "If this 'Father' is suggesting the use of this item, then he is no representative worthy of any cloth."
As you fall unconcious you see the women evaporate smiling at you as she does...a ghost!
The baby turns to mist in your hands...a phantom.
Your sight goes first. You hear the townsfolk rushing to your aid and someone says something about Loraine the Slaughter! That's a ghost, from Harrowstone! They are starting to appear in broad daylight now! What shall we do??
And the last voice you hear is Help her, help the newcomer, she was hit badly!!!
Then everything goes black.
Toni mulls all this over in her mind. "Has anyone seen Ms. Szabo? She should probably weigh in on these matters."
"Didn't she follow us up from the house?"
"I thought she did, but she hasn't shown up here yet. Maybe we should go back. Stick with the plan of confronting Alfons at tomorrow's service. Perhaps with us there, some of the townsfolk may corroborate his gouging...of both sorts," Toni says, worry creeping up on her.
As she lays unconscious on the road her mind mulls over some of the information they have recieved.
"Father? Are going to answer my question?"
"I'm going to find Ms. Szabo," Toni says, turning to leave. "We can meet up at Kendra's in a bit, if you still need to talk to Father Grimburrow."
Toni takes off at a quick walk, unsure of what she may find.
Gur turns to stalk out with ms. Kettler without saying another word.
"I'll catch up"
"Do you need me here? I'll be here or go see about Gabbi. Just tell me which way," Gilderoy looks at Talon as he speaks slowly, obviously wanting the chance to rip every member of the church a new one, but also concerned that the young woman hasn't shown up.
"Go if you want. We should all meet up at Kendras and decide what's to happen next. I'll be along as soon as I'm done talking to the Father here."
"Don't take too long, alright?" He nods and then heads out.
Talon thinks to himself, "Well if he doesn't answer my question soon I'll give 'im a hand trimmin' his roses... with my greatsword!" To Gilderor, "Shouldn't be a minute."
Taps foot...