Haltingly the spirit replied, "I... I'm not sure. I thought I knew her or of her, but she had this red hood and mask. I couldn't be sure."
More strongly, words burst out in a torrent, "She knew me! She knew I was bad, I was trouble. She had a list, titled 'why you're a bad person' she read it to me! It had every bad mark I've ever had, every time I was late for class. Every time I was rude, it listed every boyfriend who dumped me. At the end she said my essay was the worst, that it was blasphemy and I had to be punished for it, really punished and that I deserved everything. But I don't understand, what did I do wrong?"
She looked directly into Yukarii's eyes pleading, "What did I do wrong? My essay it was about father Elodin, I said nice things about him, how can that be bad?"
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Yukarii's eyes widened in surprise when Andrea remembered what had happened and then narrowed in anger at what she heard. When the spirit's eyes met Yukarii's the half-elf's gaze softened and she said, "You did nothing wrong and everything right Andrea-chan. That woman was likely a servant of something dark and terrible that hate's Elodin. She read the truth that you discovered and she felt you had to be hurt for it."
Yukarii reached out, placing her hands atop Andrea's shoulders, "You did nothing wrong Andrea-chan, and do not for a moment think different. She may have known all the bad things you might have done and confronted you with them but she never said anything about the good ones. We all do bad things sometimes and we all do good things sometimes, what is important is that the good out weighs the bad."
Yukarii looked around and then asked, "Andrea-chan, can you tell if the Red Woman left anything behind? If there is some object here that belonged to her I might be able to track find her. Then we can go and tell her, in the most direct way we can, why she was wrong and needs to be punished for what she did."
The child like spirit responded, "I didn't understand when she said I was bad, the stones liked me and they are holy to to Elodin. I thought I was doing his work."
"Andrea-chan, can you tell if the Red Woman left anything behind?"
The spirit screwed up her face as she tried to remember and then suddenly she said, "Her breath was stinky, I remember it! She smoked, I remember her flicking a butt into the fireplace..."
Edwin asked, "Can anyone else hear a spirit? It sounds very faint to me."
No... but I think Yukarii has it covered. I wouldn't disturb her.
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Zendara pulls the cigarette butt very carefully out of the fireplace, so as to not mess up its aura. She gives it to Yukarii to see if she can get a read off of it, so they know where to go.
Yukarii smiled at Andrea's spirit and said, "That should help a lot Andrea-chan!" She looked at the others and said, "There should be a cigarette butt in the fireplace, see if you can find it." She looked back to Andrea as Zendara found the butt and said, "My other self, Yukaari, will stay with you for now. I need to try and learn what I can of the bad person who hurt you so we can go deal with her." She gave the spirit one more hug and then moved back a slight way as Zendara brought the butt to her.
Yukarii took several deep breaths before she accepted the cigarette butt and said, "Do not be afraid Andrea-chan, what ever I do now I will be alright and you are not to blame for any of it." With that Yukarii centered her mind and accepted the butt, focusing her mind on it, and opening her senses to hear what the cigarette butt would tell her.
Wiping a tear away, Professor Flintoff sighs sadly and suggests, "We should construct a litter from the bed sheets and those length of wood in the storage room and take her back to town for a proper burial. Normally I'd suggest we contact the proper authorities but Waiaki Island doesn't really have proper authorities, sure the mine has sheriffs but they're in the pay of the mine's owners not any government. So if anyone is going to try and find her killer and get her some justice it's us, gods help us."
So if anyone is going to try and find her killer and get her some justice it's us, gods help us."
Xindyra has a slightly doubtful look on her face.
"In my experience, they only provide means, but it is eventually us who do the heavy lifting. It makes me wonder at times, if being a deity is not as much a burden as a blessing. All that power, and yet you are very much dependent on your proxies to execute your goals or ideals."
"But we probably will run into her killer sooner or later? She ventured into unsettled areas, after all."
Professor Flintoff shrugged, "I think there's an argument about free will, and I heard another one which suggested that direct intervention via an avatar or some such is very disruptive, but anyway I hear ya! The question is where to start? Well we've gotta get her remains blessed and buried in consecrated ground. Then I suppose there's this tobacconist, maybe somebody knows this mysterious red head?"
(fail)
The burial can be done here in the town, but the vision wasn't very helpful at all. It was of someone watching that redhead, not of the person we actually want to know about. What information do we have about the actual perpetrator? I mean... we can go there and ask about the redhead hoping they will know more, but for all we know, the redhead is one of the perpetrator's past victims, right?
Privately, to Xindyra-Edwin-Yukarii , she says
Also, we're getting into the weeds of people's lives again. Is this really going to help us solve the bigger problems? I want to destroy the cult here, but it seems to be everywhere we go, and just like our efforts to stop the war were heroic, but ultimately pointless, how do we tell when we're making a difference and when we should give up and try something else? All of this is overwhelming me, and I feel like I am always 90 steps behind. Are you guys feeling the same?
Edwin answered, "I'm starting to get the same feeling; we really need to find something to go on. We likely have to interview the Sherrif, and hope to get SOME cooperation."
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"I once went to a lecture about spirits and lingering attachments or causes of inabilities to pass on.
I think the spirit of Andrea Meedes will likely pass on normally if her body is given a proper burial. Bringing her killer to justice too would likely guarantee it."
Edwin suggested, "Giving her body a proper burial sounds like the easiest thing to do; let's try that."
Professor Flintoff had busied himself in one of the other rooms while you were talking and he comes back with a pair of wodden poles between which he'd wrapped some linnen a few times which he'd roughly stitched with some twine to form a makeshift litter.
He told you, "Here give me a hand, lets get her on to this and carry her back to the lodge. I think it'll likely be too far to get to Port William tonight, but in the morning we can hitch a lift with the postman's cart and take her to a temple."
Working together you pick Andrea's corpse up and place her in the litter, and cover her with another sheet. Then you start the trip back down, which proves to me much harder work now there's a load to carry. As you get close to the lodge several people spot you and come out to help. The atmosphere is somber, when the circumstances of her death are revealed there's outrage with various wild theories about who might have done it, although the consensus is it must be cultists. Several people suggest taking to the Sheriff although the sentiment is he won't be able to do much since he has his hands full with the mines.
You get word that the group sent to find Mike Tomlins has been spotted on the way back with an extra member, presumably Mike. They ought to be here in half an hour.
When her trance ended Yukarii looked up and said, "I saw someone who might be able to give us more information and who she will likely visit again. She visited a tobacconist named Ramirez in a seedier part of what must be Port William." Yukarii thought through what else she had picked up and then added, "She had on a red cloak folded over her and most of her skin was covered but she did have a tattoo on her back that I could see a part of." After pausing again Yukarii said, "I have nothing else."
When it came to putting the spirit to rest Yukarii nodded in agreement with Xindyra and aid, "Yes, that should take care of things. I believe the former is all that is needed to put her to rest, she just wants to know that she is loved and cared for and a proper burial should show her that." Yukarii stayed next to the spirit and interacted with her, not expecting to learn anything more, but to make sure she didn't start to think she had been bad or deserved what happened to her as her body was prepared for transport.
When they were ready Yukarii looked at the spirit and aid, "It is time Andrea-chan, we are going to take you someplace so you can get some proper rest. Do you want to come with us or are you ready to go?"
When they reached the lodge and saw the people there it was a rough time telling the story of what had happened. Yukarii was rather withdrawn most of the time, the task of interacting with a spirit like she had and reading the objects had taken their toll on her and she needed to rest badly.
Zendara is able to pick up some information on the location of the Ramirez tobacconists, and is told that they are a little too high class for the area, and it is a question about how they make any money. She guesses that the place could be a front hiding the cultists, but they will have to visit to confirm.
She shares her insights with the others in her group, but not with any outsiders, not sure who to trust.
It looks like Andrea's remains will get taken to Port William tomorrow morning for burial now without you having to arrange it, (although you can if you'd like). What happens next is up to you, you could hang around for Dr Munroe's old friend Mike Tomlins to arrive. You could try and make your own way to Port William, you'd arrive about dusk if you set off now. There isn't really a time limit for getting there, the central part of Port William is lit by rocks enchanted with continual light spells, funded by the casinos and ale houses so the party can carry on 24 hours a day. You could also report the crime to the sheriff although the researches don't expect he'd be able to do much. You could also do something else entirely that I haven't thought of!
I think we should wait and see if Mike Tomlins saw anything untoward and then head to Port William to check out the lead in the morning.
A little over half an hour later Mike Tomlins' party arrived at the outpost. Mike was a lean looking man of advancing years with skin the texture of rock courtesy of a lifetime outdoors. His hair was pure white and whispy yet his eyes were a piercing blue which sparkled with intelligence.
When he was told of Andrea's death he looked extremely upset.
"Her thesis described how to translate the language, and how to pronounce the words. I tried to get her to submit it months ago, her viva defence would have been a shoe-in, but Andrea insisted on finding out more first. You see she was worried that the department heads would sideline her once they'd realised what she'd found. If some of the things she's told me about the inscriptions are true, she was right to worry. Anyway a fortnight ago she told me she'd found something amazing and that she was finally ready to finish her thesis. She locked herself into her room for days and completed it and without fanfare last week, she sent it off to the university via the administrator."
Shaking his head he mused, "I can't help but feel this was no random killing. It seems to me that doesn't want her research to come to light."
Edwin questioned Mike Tolmis, filling him in on what had happened. "It's imperative that we find out the identity of her killer. I understand that she visited a tobacconist named Ramirez in Port William. We think the killer was a red-headed woman with some sort of tatoo on her back. Yukarii had a vision of her, but couldn't see her face, since the woman wore a hooded cloak that shrouded her.
"We need to find the killer and bring her to justice. She seemed intent on defacing the runes on The Elodin's Circle. She seemed to harbor hatred for Elodin, and seemed intent on chiseling off the holy symbol of Elodin.
"We're going to bury Andrea properly, so her spirit can find some peace. I can see that this is very difficult for you, but I'm sure you can appreciate the importance of doing this properly. Dr. Monroe is here with us; He should be able to help organize the effort."
Can we have a look at her rooms, to see if there is anything to be salvaged? Than I think we need to have a talk with the administrator.
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Mike nodded, "Yeah we'll need to unlock her door but that shouldn't be a problem, the housekeeper has a skeleton key."
A little while later the housekeeper a matronly woman with greying hair let you into Andrea's room. The room was 20' by 20' with a bed on one wall, a wardrobe and draws along another and a writing desk and book shelved on another. The final wall opposite the door was taken up by windows.
The contents of the room prove to be rather mundane, neatly arranged clothing and footwear. Some toiletries, a number of textbooks and a small amount of money in a jar.
Well, this is pointless. The lock has been picked and all of her notes and papers stolen.
Yukarii, is there anything here at all that you can get a reading from that might help us?
Also, Mike, I know this is difficult, but you said that she told you about the inscriptions that justified her worry... we need to know what she told you. What translations did she tell you about, and do you have a copy of anything that she wrote... whether related to this or unrelated?
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Yukarii looked around the room after Zendara had searched it and asked her if she could use anything there to find out more information. She wasn't really sure, it looked like there were plenty of personal things but nothing that stood out to her. After looking around Yukarii focused on thoughts of discovery and important things and as her eyes now glowed a pale color like that reminded one of the astral plane she looked around teh room carefully again.
Mike scratches his head before replying, "Andrea was quite tight lipped but there's one thing she told me. I have to admit at the time I thought she was pulling my leg but anyway, some of the stones have holes in them that are tuned to make a sound when the wind blows a certain way. She told me they're musical and I initially thought of that, she told me no they're musical, they like chants particularly religious ones associated with Elodin. I didn't really know what to say to that, she told me out of the blue."
Yukarii spreads her senses and takes in the room, while many of the items have minor psychic impressions, the writing desk and the picked lock stand out.
"The circles are much more than just lifeless stone, each is musical and it responds to a unique tone or tune. Each circle of stones is connected to others by lay-lines, together the lay-lines form a pattern in the shape of Elodin's holy symbol. The very center of web of lay-lines is at cinder crater. There's little to see there but I', convinced there's something hidden there and that the stones are the key."
She writes more but the vision fades.
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"She cracked an thought dead language. That's a once in a ... in many a number of chances, that such a thing comes along. It gets me eager to have a look at that project, if possible."
She smiles,
"Is that possible, per chance?"
Yukarii found two things that might be worth examining further and approached the desk first.
As she touched the desk and focused Yukarii's eyes rolled back like they tended to when reading an object and she began to speak in a flat, emotionless, voice, "The circles are much more than just lifeless stone, each is musical and it responds to a unique tone or tune. Each circle of stones is connected to others by lay-lines, together the lay-lines form a pattern in the shape of Elodin's holy symbol. The very center of web of lay-lines is at cinder crater. There's little to see there but I', convinced there's something hidden there and that the stones are the key.
After reading the desk Yukarii takes a few moment to collect herself and heads to the lock.
This time Yukarii was silent during the vision and when she finished she said, "I saw the door opening and boot marks forming but there was no one there. I saw them stop and papers and things disappearing into an invisible sack. It took less than a minute and then the door was closed as the invisible figure left."
Thanks for doing that, Yukarii. I'm sure it takes a lot out of you, and I appreciate it.
To everyone she says
Well, do we go after the killer first, or after what they were trying to cover up, at Cinder Crater?
Edwin asked, "Remind me: how far away is the Cinder Crater?"
I don't know. We would have to get directions from a local.
Mike perked up a little when you asked for directions, "Cinder Crater? That's a week's hike into the interior, not been there for a few years. Wild rugged terrain, I love it! You'd need a guide since there's a lot of scrambling involved and a number of dangerous areas to avoid. You don't want to take the direct route, the air's real bad near some of the lateral vents and it goes too near the lairs of several highly territorial creatures."
With the faint ghost of a smile he said, "I'd be happy to take you if you want to go, the whole area is really geologically interesting and there's a bunch of samples I'd like to take back - you lot look young and healthy so I'm sure you could help me lug some stuff back."
Edwin replied to Mike, "It would make sense for you to guide us, since you have a good knowledge of the dangers involved. Collecting some samples sounds like a great plan."
Zendara thinks that Edwin is doing a great job of getting them a guide out there, so she goes along. She just adds
Do you have enough equipment for all of us... everyone should at least have a shovel or a pick. We might want to do a little of our own digging if we find some gold.
She smiles, but knows they will be looking for even more important treasure than gold, and hopes that the cultists haven't already been there before them... although she was somewhat hopeful, because if they destroyed whatever there was to find, then why were they still trying to hide the information?
Xindyra saw Zendara smile, yet she'd seen such a smile before. One where it is a distraction, or suppression of gloomy thoughts.
As Edwin is talking with Mike, Xindyra steps closer to Zendara.
"Hey ehm, Zen, you're trying too hard, i think.
If you need to vent your worries, then just talk, okay?"
Her inquisitive eyes let that sink in, before they become a part of a smile again, as she taps Zendara's back in a supportive way.
Once they are out of earshot of Mike, Zendara fills Xindyra in on her worries.
Well, we don't know if they have already been there. Hopefully not, because they are trying to cover it up, but I'm hoping we can find it anyway, whatever it is. Yukarii's ability is incredibly valuable... maybe it can get us the rest of the way, if we go there.
Mike replied, "Eh if we're going to the effort of going out there we might as well do it properly. We'll need a couple of high banker sluices, an electric chipping mill, picks, shovels, buckets, some hoses, there's actually a lake higher up we can siphon water from. I don't think I want to try any blasting, we'd never be able to process all the material. We could carry assaying equipment but it's heavy and expensive, better to use one of the labs in town."
He grinned, "Speaking of town, we'll need to head over to Shotwell's Chandlery. They supply mining equipment among other things, at reasonable rates. I don't have a highbanker at the moment and we really need that to separate the gold from the host material. I reckon it'll take a couple of days to organise everything."
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Worried that Mike was just going to tip off the cult again, Zendara suggested
Let's go out there without going to town first. We don't need to separate the gold yet. This is just proof of concept, right? We need to prove it is there, and if it is, then we can worry about organizing more fully. Let's keep it quiet until we prove it and stake a claim, then we can get others involved.