The wounds on Vegazi continue healing with Berato's spell, her nose resetting with a loud crunch. She looks much better and breathes easier with her nose back in place. She thanks Berato once again before trying to answer Anthys' questions.
"It has been some time since I've been a part of my tribe. I've lived in these hills for years, and only just started recognizing the signs of the tribe moving around."
She diverts her attention back to the dead. "Come on, it'll take us a few hours to reach the human settlement."
Vegazi moves some stiff joints, and gives a few sample tugs on her bow. "100% Now."
You forge makeshift litters and pile the bodies on them, taking turns to bear them as your strength waxes and flags. Vegazi leaves your side on occasion to range ahead and make sure the path is clear. You reach the small town a little after midday, and, load that you bear, start attracting a crowd.
Stead guards quickly meet you, causing the crowd to back off a pace or two. "Who are you? What happened to these people?"
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Berato proudly brings Vegazi to the front of the group and cast an angry glare at the gossipers.
"We've been dispatched by the Pathfinder Society hunt down devils plaguing these parts. So is this one," says Berato, pointing to the half-orc. "There. The letter we found around these bodies speaks to her value and honor. We humbly ask for an audience with your leaders so that we can discuss further."
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Anthys makes sure to stand near Berato so the cleric can use Scion of the Lost Empire on his Diplomacy attempt.
Anthys addresses the guards. "I am sorry to report that Wate Arwyll and others were slain by devils." He gestures towards the half-orc. "With the help of Vegazi here, we killed the devils and avenged Lord Arwyll. There may be more to this. We must speak with Terrin."
The guards immediately run to grab someone else, barking out orders at the bystanders to move along. They come back in short order with another man who turns white as a sheet when he sees the bodies. He is sweaty with a paunch and a complexion that reveals a stressful life. "I am Mayor Proum. Darrel Proum." He gives orders to the guards to take the bodies to Arwyll Estate, voice quavering a touch.
Turning back to you, "I'm sorry for ignoring you, this is just...There's a lot to process here. Please, join myself and some others at the Arwyll Estate after having any wounds tended to at the chapel of Iomedae. Free of charge." Before even hearing a response, he turns and begins walking, almost staggering, back up the large hill to the Estate.
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Even after receiving some healing from Berato, Vindler found it difficult to do anything other than provide the basic translations of Vegazi's replies. When the group finally reaches town, however, he seems to have finally come to himself once again, and takes a deep breath.
"I'm sorry for my reticence, my friends. That fight with the devils was...harrowing. Now, I suppose we should be on our way to the Estate?"
Vindler's keen hearing also picks up on the doubtful voices of the townsfolk. As he and his companions make their way past toward the Arwyll Estate, he says to Berato in a voice loud enough for the nearby townsfolk to hear, "You know, there's a saying her in Lastwall, Berato, that a town's walls are only as strong as its people, but even the thickest walls built by a cowardly and suspicious people is doomed to crumble. Something to think about, eh?"
When you arrive at Arwyll Estate, Mayor Proum answers the door and ushers you past the foyer and into a humbly decorated parlor room. The adjacent dining room has been outfitted as an impromptu morgue, with the bodies of Wate and his comrades laid across the sagging wooden table and covered in white linens.
Along with Proum are two militia members, an elderly woman with wrinkled skin and a head full of curly gray hair, and a tall man in his late forties. Proum introduces the woman as Shovann Orda and the man as Gallus Crevac. The two were friends of the late Wate Arwyll, and together with the mayor, the four of them served as an informal governing council for Arwyll Stead. Now, just the three of them remain.
Shovann—the elderly woman—has a shrewd gaze and seems to enjoy wearing vibrantly colored clothes that were in style some time ago. A large owl named Faydor perches on Shovann’s shoulder, and looks as ancient as his master.
Gallus wears well-groomed red robes and keeps his graying mustache and beard immaculately neat. After shaking hands with everyone he sits with a sheaf of parchment and pen, ready to take notes.
When everyone is seated and comfortable Mayor Proum turns to all of you expectantly. "Now that we are all here, and out of the eyes of the public, would you mind recounting the events that lead up to Wate's demise?"
With Vindler's help Vegazi explains how she had noticed the movements of the Hell's Fury tribe and that Wate and his scouts were doing something about it. She tailed them from afar, working around the outside of their perimeter, looking out for danger in case Wate and his scouts couldn't handle any infernal monsters that had reported to be appearing in the area.
She thought the danger had passed when Wate and his company were returning from Lastwall, but she was mistaken. She found her half-sister Jagan had organized a band of devils to waylay Wate on the way back to Arwyll Stead. By the time she got there the fight was almost over, but she managed to finish off a devil or two before being overwhelmed. She turns the remainder of the story to you, a touch uncomfortable being the center of attention for so long.
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"There's no way to tell what happened before we showed up at the scene, beyond witnessing that these poor souls had fallen in battle and that Vegazi was fighting them off. An inspection of Jagan's wounds is in order to determine who killed her, as well as a verification of Terrin's handwriting to verify that Terrin's character testimony about the 'benign' nature of Vegazi was not fabricated. While this is verified, it is recommended that Vegazi should be detained both for her protection and the protection of the evidence."
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Anthys speaks up, "I do not support Berato's recommendation to detain her. I don't think we have the right to, and I trust the evidence of my own eyes. She helped us."
He turns to Vegazi. "I'm sorry. I trust you. This Terrin person should be coming here in the morning - he was going to meet Wate Arwyll. If you choose to stay with us, I would respectfully ask you to tell him what you saw and help us stop the devils. I will not help anybody keep you here against your will."
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Vindler dutifully continues translating, though a bit of incredulity creeps into his voice as he conveys Berato's recommendation. After Anthys voices his opinion on the matter, though, he joins his own voice to the discussion. "Aye, the lass hasn't done anything to warrant her arrest in my view either. Perhaps she should have been more open with Wate and his company about her intentions to watch out and fight off the tribe's planned attacks, but she joined in the fight against the devils and her own half-sister."
He pauses to translate for Vegazi, then continues on. "Now, I do agree that we should confirm how Jagan was killed and who could've done it--probably Wate or one of his party--and I think we need to wait and talk this Terrin person if possible. Then he can confirm whether he wrote the letter himself."
Vindler turns to Vegazi once again and asks her, "Will you stay here with us to meet with Terrin? He should be able to clear your name from any suspicion, and may be able to help clear some other things up as well. Then perhaps you will consider staying here to help in the fight against your old tribe? It seems you know a good deal of their plans, and that could help save this town. Last, will you allow me cast a simple spell to confirm whether you have evil in your heart? It will not harm you, but may help the people here trust you better."
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"To rule Vegazi out of any foul play by way of evaluating evidence would be doing Vegazi a favor, and would ensure that the letter by Terrin was indeed written by Terrin. But I digress, and if you, esteemed Mayor Proum, decide not to investigate based what you have heard from Mister Anthys and Mister Far-Seer, I would like that my recommendation be at the very least noted by the Mayor or his Council, both for my legal protection and that of the Pathfinder Society, who, shall I note, would side in favor of an investigation of the evidence at hand, in my humble opinion, based on years of reporting done for the organization and based on my knowledge of its internal procedures."
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"Ach! I didn't say not to investigate, Berato," Vindler says, dropping all pretense of translating first. "But there is such a thing as holding an investigation without detaining an innocent person against their will. Don't confuse the Society's ways of investigating with those of your homeland. Remember, the Law may sometimes use the sword, but it's not meant to become the sword."
"Truth be told," says Mayor Proum, "there's a chance all of you could have killed Wate and are giving us some fanciful tale. Now you all seem like a decent sort, we just can't rule anything out at the moment."
Vegazi consents to Vindlér's spell, arms crossed over her chest. It is shortly after Vindlér has completed his inspection that Faydor starts hooting while looking at Vegazi's hand. Shovaan examines it closer and asks the half-orc woman, "Where did you get this ring?"
Vegazi looks surprised but holds out her hand to show off the gold ring on her finger. It is a signet ring, bearing the initials A.A. and motifs of the Arwyll family crest. Vegazi explains, with Vindlér's help, that it was a gift from a human she freed from an orc tribe's slave yard some 20 years ago. When asked to describe the man, and several others that were with him, Proum exclaims, "That man that gifted you the ring sounds extraordinarily like Adil Arwyll, Wate's father."
Turning back to look over the entire group he continues, "I'm not saying I distrust all of you but I'd like you to stay in Arwyll Stead for the time being. I'll arrange to get you some rooms over at the Blissful Badger, and when Scoutmaster Terrin arrives in the morning we can figure this out some more."
Looking out the window you realize that a lot of time has indeed passed and the sun is swiftly setting. Proum, looking better than he has, though still pale, says, "I would like to request your assistance tomorrow. Grev, a local hermit, knew the Arwylls well and would be able to verify any relationship Vegazi may have had with the Arwylls. Getting him here would be a great help."
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Vindler nods to accept the mayor's requests. "Aye, we were planning on staying in town. As it happens, the Society actually sent us this way because reports that the tribe was threatening the area had reached the higher-ups, and they dispatched us to come lend whatever aid we could. Anthys and I are from Lastwall, so they figured some familiarity with the area could be a benefit."
He also offers the group's assent to the request to retrieve Grev. "Just point us in the right direction, and we'll bring you your man. Do you suspect he'll be reluctant to come into town, being a hermit and all?"
The mayor shakes his head, "We don't expect he'll cause trouble, but with Wate and the highest member of the clergy dead we're not feeling comfortable sending relatively inexperienced guards out to retrieve him." He turns away and writes a quick missive before handing it to you. "Give this to Isald Forgemore. She's the proprietor of the Blissful Badger and she'll give you some rooms for the night."
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Vindlér accepts the slip of paper from the mayor and nods toward the sickly man, "Thank you, Mayor. That's very kind of you to set us up at the inn. Ha! Sounds like it'll be a good establishment to say the least. I've not heard a more dwarven name than 'Forgemore' in quite a while. Watch it on the ale tonight, lads. Good dwarven stuff packs quite a wallop!"
After enjoying a tankard or two of the aforementioned ale and having some dinner to fill his travel-weary belly, Vindlér heads upstairs and secures the room nearest the stairs.
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"Elaril, Marcus, why don't we let Vegazi have her own room, and -"
Then a thought occurs to him. Anthys looks flustered, and continues. "On second thought, it... ah... maybe it would be better to have her share a room with one of us so if anything strange happens she has an alibi. Marcus, how about it? Vegazi, he is very trustworthy and also a butler. Good night!"
He hurries into his room, eager to be done with this conversation.
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Marcus quietly accompanies his friends to the inn, sipping a single small beer and eating a bowl of soup over the course of the evening. When Anthys suggests Vegazi shares a room with Marcus and beats a hasty retreat, Marcus quirks his eyebrow in Anthy's direction before turning to Vegazi.
"Of course I would be willing to vouch for you in the event any untoward accusations were brought forth. If you have no objection Vegazi, I would be my honor to share a room with you. If you wish, I will take the bed or the floor, as you prefer, or you may have the room to yourself if you feel more comfortable with that arrangement and I will share with Anthys."
Vegazi waves off Marcus' concern. "Two bed to stay in. Easier if shared room." Saying that she makes herself comfortable in the northeast room with Marcus, taking off her armor, pouches, bags, and other miscellaneous gear. She rests her bow and quiver, as well as her sword in easy reach of her bed before turning in for the night.
Everyone but Elaril is pulled from sleep as the sound of crashing glass and splintering wood echo in the upper floor. Anthys realizes he is not alone in the room, seeing two Imps have smashed in his window and appear to be looking for something. Outside he can hear the sounds of battle starting to be joined. Everyone else can tell where the smashing sound came from, and can faintly hear the echoes of battle.
Vegazi leaps out of bed, snatching her bow and quiver before rushing over to Anthys' room.
The first imp flies over Anthys stabbing down with its tail spike at the man in his bed.
The other one giggles in a high pitched voice, then speaks, its voice worming into Anthys' head, "You should tell us where the half-orc is..."
The Imp dodges Anthys' swing, still giggling.
Vegazi opens the door arrow glinting silver in the moonlight. "True," is all she says before opening fire at the Imp not hovering over Anthys.
Elaril's soundless scream resounds in the Imp's head, causing it to clutch the flaps around its ears and drop down onto Anthys' chest, writhing in pain. The other one flies over to Vegazi to stab at her with its stinger.
The wounds on the imps appear to begin closing up...